Method and apparatus for adaptively controlling a state of charge of a battery array of a series type hybrid electric vehicle

Abstract

A series type hybrid electric vehicle including a generator set having an internal combustion engine and a generator, a battery array and at least one electric motor includes a controller for maintaining a state of charge of the battery array within a control limit. A controller of the vehicle determines if the vehicle is in one of a plurality of forward driving modes, compares a state of charge of the battery array to an upper control limit associated with a forward driving mode, decreases generated by the generator, if the state of charge is equal to or greater than the associated upper control limit, and increases the power generated by the generator, if the state of charge is less than the associated upper control limit. A method of controlling the state of charge of the battery array includes determining if the vehicle is in one of a plurality of forward driving modes, comparing a state of charge of the battery array to an upper control limit associated with a forward driving mode, decreasing the power generatred by the generator, if the state of charge is equal to or greater than the associated upper control limit, and increasing the power generated by the generator, if the state of charge is less than the associated upper control limit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.