Control apparatus for a fuel cell vehicle

A control apparatus for a fuel cell vehicle, comprising:

• a capacitor temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of a capacitor in the fuel cell vehicle;
• a maximum power setting module for setting a maximum power value of the capacitor, wherein the maximum power value is a maximum value of the power for charging and discharging said capacitor, depending on the temperature of said capacitor;
• a motor power limiting value calculating module for calculating a motor power limiting value for a drive motor of the fuel cell vehicle, which corresponds to the maximum power of the capacitor and a regenerating motor power of the drive motor, which is based on one or more detected values indicative of the state of the capacitor;
• a motor real power detecting module for detecting a motor real power of the drive motor, wherein the motor real power is motor power actually supplied during drive and regeneration of said drive motor;
• and
• a motor power control module for controlling said motor real power of said drive motor such that a detected value of the motor real power is equal to or less than said motor power limiting value.

A method of controlling a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:

• calculating a capacitor maximum power value of a capacitor that is charged by power from the fuel cell;
• calculating a motor power limit value for a motor based on an output power of the fuel cell and said capacitor maximum power value;
• calculating a real power value of the motor corresponding to an actual amount of power that drives the motor;
• comparing the real power value to the motor power limit value;
• and
• adjusting the real power value if the real power value is larger than the motor power limit value.