Method for the Early Induction of an Additional Start of an Internal Combustion Engine in a Vehicle with a Hybrid Drive

A method for early induction of an additional start of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a hybrid drive including at least one electric drive unit and the internal combustion engine, the method comprising the acts of:

• when only the electric drive is in operation, additionally starting the internal combustion engine no later than when a determined requested nominal drive torque exceeds a maximum possible drive torque of the electric drive unit, the requested nominal drive torque being determined as a function of a determined filtered driver request torque;
• and
• evaluating a still unfiltered driver request torque or a limited driver request torque in order to initiate the additional starting of the internal combustion engine before reaching or exceeding the maximum possible drive torque of the electric drive unit based upon the determined requested nominal drive torque.