System and method for increasing operating efficiency of a hybrid vehicle

A system for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle, the system comprising:

• an intake valve configured to control supply of air into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle;
• a mechanism operatively connected to the cylinder and configured to provide variable valve timing and lift and select a fuel-off actuation arrangement for the intake valve when a supply of fuel to the cylinder has been ceased, wherein the fuel-off actuation arrangement includes an amount of lift for the intake valve that is lower when the supply of fuel has been ceased than before the supply of fuel has been ceased;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• determine whether a deceleration of the vehicle is desired;
• cease supply of fuel to the cylinder when the deceleration is desired;
• and
• operate the mechanism to select the fuel-off actuation arrangement for the intake valve such that a magnitude of compression pulses in the cylinder during deceleration is limited.

A hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

• an internal combustion engine configured to power the vehicle, the engine including:
• a crankshaft;
• a cylinder provided with a first intake valve, a second intake valve, and an exhaust valve, wherein each intake valve is configured to control supply of air into the cylinder and the exhaust valve is configured to control the removal of exhaust gas from the cylinder;
• a piston configured to reciprocate inside the cylinder and rotate the crankshaft;
• and
• a mechanism operatively connected to the cylinder and configured to provide variable valve timing and lift and select a fuel-off actuation arrangement for the intake valve when a supply of fuel to the cylinder has been ceased, wherein the fuel-off actuation arrangement includes an amount of lift for the intake valve that is lower when the supply of fuel has been ceased than before the supply of fuel has been ceased;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• determine whether a deceleration of the vehicle is desired;
• cease supply of fuel to the cylinder when the deceleration is desired;
• and
• operate the mechanism to select the fuel-off actuation arrangement for the intake valve such that a magnitude of compression pulses in the cylinder during deceleration is limited.