Method for operating a vehicle and vehicle operated by such a method

A method for operating a vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

• an internal combustion engine,
• a wheel propulsion shaft, configured to be driven by the internal combustion engine,
• wheels, configured to be driven by the wheel propulsion shaft, and
• a kinetic energy recovery system, connected to the internal combustion engine and to the wheel propulsion shaft and configured to:
• recover and store kinetic energy of the vehicle as mechanical energy, and
• restore the stored energy by propelling the wheel propulsion shaft and/or by cranking the internal combustion engine,
• wherein the method comprises when the vehicle operates:
• when the vehicle is not stationary, recovering and storing kinetic energy of the vehicle in the kinetic energy recovery system as mechanical energy,
• when the vehicle is stationary, measuring an energy level stored in the kinetic energy recovery system and comparing the measured energy level stored in the kinetic energy recovery system to a predetermined high threshold value, so that the method comprises, if the energy level stored in the kinetic energy recovery system is above the predetermined high threshold value:
• stopping the internal combustion engine, then
• when the vehicle start is required, propelling the wheel propulsion shaft exclusively by the kinetic energy recovery system.