Control method for hybrid vehicle and control apparatus for hybrid vehicle

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle including a generator, an electric motor, and a mode switch, the generator being configured to charge a battery by use of power of an engine, wherein the engine, the electric motor, and the battery are arranged in a series configuration such that the electric motor drives driving wheels by electric power of the battery and mechanical power from the engine is transferred to the generator rather than to the driving wheels, the mode switch being configured to set an operation mode for the generator and the electric motor, wherein:

• the control apparatus is configured to accept mode setting to set any of a normal mode, a regeneration driving mode, and a silent mode via an operation on the mode switch,
• the normal mode being a mode in which the battery is charged by charging by the generator by use of the power of the engine or by charging by a regenerative braking force in the electric motor,
• the regeneration driving mode being a mode in which the battery is charged by charging by use of the power of the engine similarly to the normal mode or by charging by a regenerative braking force larger than the regenerative braking force in the normal mode, whereby the regenerative braking force in the normal mode is inhibited relative to the regenerative braking force in the regeneration driving mode,
• the silent mode being a mode in which charging by use of the power of the engine is inhibited;
• when the normal mode is set, the control apparatus does not accept setting of the silent mode;
• and
• when the regeneration driving mode is set, the control apparatus accepts setting of the silent mode.