Drive force control system for vehicle

A drive force control system for a vehicle that controls a drive force to propel the vehicle in which a first powertrain includes an electric motor as a prime mover and a power transmission device that transmits an output torque of the electric motor to a pair of drive wheels to imitate behaviors of a model vehicle in which a second powertrain includes an engine as a prime mover and a transmission that transmits an output torque of the engine to a pair of drive wheels, the drive force control system comprising:

• a microcomputer configured to
• control the output torque of the electric motor,
• compute a virtual drive torque using a virtual model of the behaviors of the model vehicle, the virtual drive torque corresponding to what would be delivered to the drive wheels of the model vehicle in response to a manual operation of a driver to manipulate the vehicle, based on at least one of torque changing factors including a second inertia moment, a second elastic coefficient, and/or a second attenuation coefficient of the second powertrain of the model vehicle;
• compute a target torque of the electric motor that is practically delivered from the electric motor to the drive wheels in the vehicle based on the virtual drive torque computed taking account of at least one of torque changing factors including a first inertia moment, a first elastic coefficient, and a first attenuation coefficient of the first powertrain of the vehicle;
• compute a target value of a virtual torque to be generated by the engine of the model vehicle by operating an accelerator pedal of the vehicle;
• and
• compute the virtual drive torque to be delivered to the drive wheels of the model vehicle if the engine generates the virtual torque computed.