Hybrid vehicle and control method thereof

A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

• an internal combustion engine;
• an electric power-mechanical power input output assembly constructed to connect with a preset axle and with an engine shaft of the internal combustion engine and configured to enable output of at least part of power of the internal combustion engine to the preset axle through input and output of electric power and mechanical power;
• a motor configured to input and output power from and to either the preset axle or another axle different from the preset axle;
• an accumulator configured to transmit electric power to and from the electric power-mechanical power input output assembly and the motor;
• a driving restriction storage unit configured to store multiple driving restrictions in correlation to multiple virtual gearshift positions such as to allow a difference in at least either a driving force setting restriction or an engine drive point setting restriction among the respective virtual gearshift positions, each of the multiple driving restrictions including the driving force setting restriction for setting a driving force demand required for driving and the engine drive point setting restriction for setting a drive point of the internal combustion engine corresponding to the driving force demand;
• a tentative target gearshift position setting module configured to, upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition, set a tentative target gearshift position to a virtual gearshift position corresponding to a driving condition of the hybrid vehicle, which is selected among the multiple virtual gearshift positions based on a predetermined change speed restriction;
• an object gearshift position setting module configured to set an object gearshift position to enable a gentle change with a variation of smaller than 1, based on the set tentative target gearshift position and a predetermined gentle change restriction;
• an object driving condition setting module configured to set a driving force demand and a drive point of the internal combustion engine corresponding to the set object gearshift position, based on a tentative driving force demand and a tentative drive point of the internal combustion engine determined with driving restrictions correlated to virtual gearshift positions immediately below and immediately above the set object gearshift position;
• and
• a controller configured to control the internal combustion engine, the electric power-mechanical power input output assembly, and the motor to drive the internal combustion engine at the set drive point and to ensure output of power based on the set driving force demand.