Vehicle control method and vehicle control device

A vehicle control method for a vehicle,

• the vehicle including:
• an electric power generator structured to generate electric power and supply the electric power to a battery;
• an electric motor structured to be driven by electric power from the battery or from the electric power generator, and drive the vehicle;
• and
• an internal combustion engine structured to drive the electric power generator;
• the vehicle control method comprising:
• providing an accelerator operation quantity measuring section structured to measure an operation amount of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle, or an operation speed of the accelerator pedal;
• stopping the internal combustion engine in response to a condition that the operation amount of the accelerator pedal is less than a predetermined operation amount threshold value or a condition that the operation speed of the accelerator pedal is less than a predetermined operation speed threshold value;
• and
• performing a standby operation of the internal combustion engine for standby to assist electric power supply to the electric motor, under a condition that an SOC of the battery is greater than or equal to a predetermined SOC threshold value, in response to a condition that the operation amount of the accelerator pedal is greater than or equal to the predetermined operation amount threshold value or a condition that the operation speed of the accelerator pedal is greater than or equal to the predetermined operation speed threshold value;
• wherein the standby operation is implemented by employing an operating point that is lower in engine power output than an operating point set for charging the battery in response to a condition that the SOC of the battery is less than the SOC threshold value.