Drive control system in series-hybrid vehicle

A drive control system in a series-hybrid utility vehicle comprising:

• a motor for driving a wheel;
• a battery for storing electric power supplied to the motor;
• an engine electric generator including an electric generator for generating the electric power charged into the battery and an engine for actuating the electric generator;
• a controller configured to estimate an SOC value of the battery, and control the motor and the engine electric generator in accordance with an HV mode in which the utility vehicle drives in a state where the engine electric generator is activated or an EV mode in which the utility vehicle drives in a state where the engine electric generator is deactivated;
• and
• a mode input device which is operated by a driver to selectively input the HV mode or the EV mode;
• wherein the controller compares the estimated SOC value to a predetermined medium threshold and a predetermined high threshold greater than the predetermined medium threshold;
• wherein when the estimated SOC value is not less than the predetermined medium threshold and less than the predetermined high threshold, the controller sets a driving mode in accordance with the driving mode inputted by the mode input device;
• and
• wherein when the estimated SOC value is not less than the predetermined high threshold, the controller disenables an input operation for selecting the HV mode which is performed by using the mode input device even though the input operation is performed, and controls the motor in accordance with the EV mode.

A drive control system in a series-hybrid utility vehicle comprising:

• a motor for driving a wheel;
• a battery for storing electric power supplied to the motor;
• an engine electric generator including an electric generator for generating the electric power charged into the battery and an engine for actuating the electric generator;
• and
• a controller configured to estimate an SOC value of the battery, and control the motor and the engine electric generator in accordance with an HV mode in which the utility vehicle drives in a state where the engine electric generator is activated or an EV mode in which the utility vehicle drives in a state where the engine electric generator is deactivated;
• wherein the controller compares the estimated SOC value to a predetermined low threshold and a predetermined medium threshold greater than the predetermined low threshold;
• wherein when the estimated SOC value is less than the predetermined low threshold during driving, the controller sets the HV mode, and controls the motor and the engine electric generator such that the electric power stored in the battery is not supplied to the motor, the electric power generated in the engine electric generator is supplied to the motor, and an allowable maximum driving power of the motor is suppressed, and in this state the wheel is driven;
• and
• when the estimated SOC value is not less than the predetermined low threshold and less than the predetermined medium threshold during driving, the controller sets the HV mode, and controls the motor and engine electric generator such that the electric power is supplied from the battery to the motor, the electric power generated in the engine electric generator is supplied to the motor, and the allowable maximum driving power of the motor is suppressed, and in this state the wheel is driven.