Control device and control method of electric vehicle

Abstract

In a control device of an electric vehicle including a motor, driving wheels, a shifting device that is operated by a driver and selectively sets one of two shift positions of a traveling position that generates driving force by transmitting output torque of the motor to the driving wheels, and a non-traveling position that does not generate driving force without transmitting the output torque to the driving wheels, a controller causes the motor to output signal torque that enables the driver to sense a change in a vehicle behavior accompanied with switching of the shift position when the driver switches the shift position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control device of an electric vehicle including a driving force source having at least one motor, driving wheels, a shifting device operated by a driver, the shifting device being configured to selectively set one of two shift positions including a traveling position that causes the driving force source to generate a driving force by transmitting output torque of the driving force source to the driving wheels and a non-traveling position that does not generate the driving force, and a sensor configured to detect the shift position set by the shifting device, the control device comprising:
 a controller configured to control the driving force source according to the shift position detected by the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to, when the driver switches the shift position, cause the driving force source to output signal torque that enables the driver to sense a change in a vehicle behavior accompanied with switching of the shift position,   wherein the controller is configured to cause the driving force source to output the signal torque when the driver switches the shift position from the non-traveling position to the traveling position,   wherein the sensor is configured to detect acceleration of the electric vehicle, and   wherein the controller is configured to, when disturbance acceleration due to a disturbance applied to the electric vehicle occurs before the shift position is switched to the traveling position, cause the driving force source to output the signal torque that generates the acceleration larger than the disturbance acceleration.   
     
     
         2 . A control device of an electric vehicle including a driving force source having at least one motor, driving wheels, a shifting device operated by a driver, the shifting device being configured to selectively set one of two shift positions including a traveling position that causes the driving force source to generate a driving force by transmitting output torque of the driving force source to the driving wheels and a non-traveling position that does not generate the driving force, and a sensor configured to detect the shift position set by the shifting device, the control device comprising:
 a controller configured to control the driving force source according to the shift position detected by the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to, when the driver switches the shift position, cause the driving force source to output signal torque that enables the driver to sense a change in a vehicle behavior accompanied with switching of the shift position; and   a brake device configured to generate braking torque that brakes the electric vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to cause the driving force source to output the signal torque when the driver switches the shift position from the non-traveling position to the traveling position, and   wherein the controller is configured to control the brake device and to cause the brake device to generate the braking torque larger than the signal torque when causing the driving force source to output the signal torque while the electric vehicle is in a stopped state.   
     
     
         3 . A control device of an electric vehicle including a driving force source having at least one motor, driving wheels, a shifting device operated by a driver, the shifting device being configured to selectively set one of two shift positions including a traveling position that causes the driving force source to generate a driving force by transmitting output torque of the driving force source to the driving wheels and a non-traveling position that does not generate the driving force, and a sensor configured to detect the shift position set by the shifting device, the control device comprising:
 a controller configured to control the driving force source according to the shift position detected by the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to, when the driver switches the shift position, cause the driving force source to output signal torque that enables the driver to sense a change in a vehicle behavior accompanied with switching of the shift position,   wherein the controller is configured to cause the driving force source to output the signal torque when the driver switches the shift position from the traveling position to the non-traveling position.   
     
     
         4 . A control device of an electric vehicle including a driving force source having at least one motor, driving wheels, a shifting device operated by a driver, the shifting device being configured to selectively set one of two shift positions including a traveling position that causes the driving force source to generate a driving force by transmitting output torque of the driving force source to the driving wheels and a non-traveling position that does not generate the driving force, and a sensor configured to detect the shift position set by the shifting device, the control device comprising:
 a controller configured to control the driving force source according to the shift position detected by the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to, when the driver switches the shift position, cause the driving force source to output signal torque that enables the driver to sense a change in a vehicle behavior accompanied with switching of the shift position, 
 wherein the controller is configured to cause the driving force source to output the signal torque in the same direction as a rotational direction of a driving torque that drives the electric vehicle in the traveling position after the driver switches the shift position between the traveling position for moving the electric vehicle forward and the traveling position for moving the electric vehicle backward. 
 
     
     
         5 . The control device of the electric vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the motor to output the signal torque in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the driving torque after causing the motor to output the signal torque in the same direction as the rotational direction of the driving torque. 
     
     
         6 . A control device of an electric vehicle including a driving force source having at least one motor, driving wheels, a shifting device operated by a driver, the shifting device being configured to selectively set one of two shift positions including a traveling position that causes the driving force source to generate a driving force by transmitting output torque of the driving force source to the driving wheels and a non-traveling position that does not generate the driving force, and a sensor configured to detect the shift position set by the shifting device, the control device comprising:
 a controller configured to control the driving force source according to the shift position detected by the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to, when the driver switches the shift position, cause the driving force source to output signal torque that enables the driver to sense a change in a vehicle behavior accompanied with switching of the shift position,   wherein the sensor is configured to detect a time when the driving force source outputs the signal torque, and   wherein the controller is configured to end an output of the signal torque when a predetermined time elapses after the output of the signal torque is started.   
     
     
         7 . A control device of an electric vehicle including a driving force source having at least one motor, driving wheels, a shifting device operated by a driver, the shifting device being configured to selectively set one of two shift positions including a traveling position that causes the driving force source to generate a driving force by transmitting output torque of the driving force source to the driving wheels and a non-traveling position that does not generate the driving force, and a sensor configured to detect the shift position set by the shifting device, the control device comprising:
 a controller configured to control the driving force source according to the shift position detected by the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to, when the driver switches the shift position, cause the driving force source to output signal torque that enables the driver to sense a change in a vehicle behavior accompanied with switching of the shift position,   wherein the sensor is configured to detect acceleration of the electric vehicle, and   wherein the controller is configured to end an output of the signal torque when the acceleration larger than or equal to a predetermined acceleration occurs after the output of the signal torque is started.