Method of controlling electric vehicle

A method of controlling an electric vehicle having a shift range switching device for switching between a parking range, a reverse driving range, a first forward driving range, and a second forward driving range as shift ranges, the method comprising:

• when the driver closes an accelerator of the electric vehicle on a flat road,
• carrying out an accelerator regenerative control process for applying, to the electric vehicle, a braking force equivalent to engine braking by regenerative electric generation by an electric motor;
• wherein a deceleration of the electric vehicle in the accelerator regenerative control process at the time the second forward driving range is selected, is greater than a deceleration of the electric vehicle in the accelerator regenerative control process at the time the first forward driving range is selected;
• and
• when the electric vehicle is driving on a downhill road, carrying out a downhill regenerative control process for adjusting an amount of electric power regenerated by the electric motor such that an acceleration of the electric vehicle at the time the accelerator is closed, is equal to a downhill acceleration depending on a road surface gradient;
• wherein the downhill acceleration at the time the second forward driving range is selected, is smaller than the downhill acceleration at the time the first forward driving range is selected, throughout a region of the road surface gradient that is established as a control range, and
• wherein when the road surface gradient is steeper than a prescribed value, a difference between the downhill acceleration at the time the first forward driving range is selected and the downhill acceleration at the time the second forward driving range is selected, is smaller than when the road surface gradient is more gradual than the prescribed value.