Abstract: Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method are described. The vehicle control apparatus may include a compressor and a controller. The controller may determine a thermal load level at one or more of: a first time point at which an engine is switched to an ON state from an OFF state, a second time point at which a first discharge amount of the battery exceeds a first reference value while the engine is in the OFF state, or a third time point at which a second discharge amount of the battery exceeds a second reference value smaller than the first reference value and a discharge rate associated with the battery exceeds a third reference value while the engine is in the OFF state. The controller may control the compressor using a control value corresponding to the thermal load level.

Abstract: An Integrated thermal management valve (ITM) control apparatus of a vehicle includes a driving information generator that generates driving information of the vehicle, a refrigerant pressure measuring device that measures a refrigerant pressure of a vehicle air conditioner of the vehicle, and an ITM controller that is configured to control the ITM of the vehicle, according to the generated driving information and the measured refrigerant pressure.

Abstract: A thermal energy control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is capable of efficiently managing thermal energy. The apparatus includes an integrated thermal management (ITM) unit that adjusts a coolant temperature by opening or closing a radiator valve and an active air flap (AAF) unit that adjusts an intake amount of ambient air by opening or closing a flap valve. A cooperative controller cooperatively operates the ITM and AFF units. The cooperative controller determines, based on a coolant temperature, whether a cooperative control mode is to be executed, adjusts an opening degree of the flap valve when the cooperative control mode is a cooperative control mode of the AFF unit, and adjusts an opening degree of the radiator valve when the cooperative control mode is a cooperative control mode of the ITM unit.

Abstract: A state of charge (SOC) control method for improving fuel efficiency of a hybrid vehicle may include monitoring an SOC of a battery of the vehicle, determining, by a controller, a change rate in SOC reduction based on the monitored SOC, and performing, by the controller, SOC anti-reduction control based on the determined change rate in the SOC reduction.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an engine of a vehicle includes an engine managing part to control warming up the engine at an initial start stage, and an air conditioning controlling part to request the engine managing part to perform an engine start, depending on whether the engine is warming up when control of air conditioning is necessary. The air conditioning controlling part continuously requests the engine managing part to perform the engine start to control the air conditioning until a warming up duration of the engine is terminated during the warning up of the engine.

Abstract: A control method for an integrated thermal management system of a vehicle includes: comparing an engine coolant temperature with a predetermined first set temperature after vehicle start; when the engine coolant temperature is greater than the first set temperature, comparing an ambient temperature with a set ambient temperature and comparing an air conditioner refrigerant pressure with a set pressure; and when the ambient temperature is greater than the set ambient temperature and the air conditioner refrigerant pressure is greater than the set pressure, controlling opening and closing operations of an integrated flow control valve based on the air conditioner refrigerant pressure so as to increase a flow rate of coolant that is supplied to a radiator through the integrated flow control valve.

Abstract: A method for controlling an active air flap of a vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving individual amounts of cooling demand required by a plurality of apparatuses requiring cooling that are installed within an engine room. Demand duties are then calculated based on the amounts of cooling demand required by the respective apparatuses and correction duties for the respective apparatuses are calculated by multiplying the demand duties for the respective apparatuses by an outside temperature factor according to the outside temperature of the vehicle. A maximum value out of the correction duties for the respective apparatuses is selected as a final duty and the active air flap is operated with an opening degree based on the selected final duty.

Abstract: A system and method for charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle can improve the on-board charging efficiency of the plug-in hybrid vehicle by adjusting a frequency of operation of a cooler when cooling an on-board charger (OBC) by circulating coolant when the temperature of the OBC rises while a high-voltage battery is being charged. The operations of a water pump and a radiator fan are controlled by determining whether the voltage of the high-voltage battery is within or out of a reference voltage range in which the on-board charging of the high-voltage battery is performed. This consequently prevents power from being unnecessarily consumed by operation of the cooler, such that the efficiency of charging is improved and the OBC is properly cooled.

Abstract: An engine control method for heating of a hybrid electric vehicle, includes collecting information for air conditioning control by a sensor during an operation of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) device in the hybrid electric vehicle in which forced engine driving for heating is performed, determining whether a condition that requires pre-engine driving as driving in a separate mode from forced engine driving is satisfied based on the collected information, upon determining that the condition that requires the pre-engine driving is required is satisfied, determining whether a condition for allowing the pre-engine driving is satisfied based on engine efficiency and hybrid system efficiency information, and upon determining that the condition for allowing the pre-engine driving is satisfied, performing the pre-engine driving for driving an engine to manage engine coolant temperature.

Abstract: A control method for an integrated thermal management system of a vehicle includes: comparing an engine coolant temperature with a predetermined first set temperature after vehicle start; when the engine coolant temperature is greater than the first set temperature, comparing an ambient temperature with a set ambient temperature and comparing an air conditioner refrigerant pressure with a set pressure; and when the ambient temperature is greater than the set ambient temperature and the air conditioner refrigerant pressure is greater than the set pressure, controlling opening and closing operations of an integrated flow control valve based on the air conditioner refrigerant pressure so as to increase a flow rate of coolant that is supplied to a radiator through the integrated flow control valve.

Abstract: A state of charge (SOC) control method for improving fuel efficiency of a hybrid vehicle may include monitoring an SOC of a battery of the vehicle, determining, by a controller, a change rate in SOC reduction based on the monitored SOC, and performing, by the controller, SOC anti-reduction control based on the determined change rate in the SOC reduction.

Abstract: A thermal energy control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is capable of efficiently managing thermal energy. The apparatus includes an integrated thermal management (ITM) unit that adjusts a coolant temperature by opening or closing a radiator valve and an active air flap (AAF) unit that adjusts an intake amount of ambient air by opening or closing a flap valve. A cooperative controller cooperatively operates the ITM and AFF units. The cooperative controller determines, based on a coolant temperature, whether a cooperative control mode is to be executed, adjusts an opening degree of the flap valve when the cooperative control mode is a cooperative control mode of the AFF unit, and adjusts an opening degree of the radiator valve when the cooperative control mode is a cooperative control mode of the ITM unit.

Abstract: A method for controlling an active air flap of a vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving individual amounts of cooling demand required by a plurality of apparatuses requiring cooling that are installed within an engine room. Demand duties are then calculated based on the amounts of cooling demand required by the respective apparatuses and correction duties for the respective apparatuses are calculated by multiplying the demand duties for the respective apparatuses by an outside temperature factor according to the outside temperature of the vehicle. A maximum value out of the correction duties for the respective apparatuses is selected as a final duty and the active air flap is operated with an opening degree based on the selected final duty.

Abstract: A system and method for charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle can improve the on-board charging efficiency of the plug-in hybrid vehicle by adjusting a frequency of operation of a cooler when cooling an on-board charger (OBC) by circulating coolant when the temperature of the OBC rises while a high-voltage battery is being charged. The operations of a water pump and a radiator fan are controlled by determining whether the voltage of the high-voltage battery is within or out of a reference voltage range in which the on-board charging of the high-voltage battery is performed. This consequently prevents power from being unnecessarily consumed by operation of the cooler, such that the efficiency of charging is improved and the OBC is properly cooled.

Abstract: A system and method for charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle can improve the on-board charging efficiency of the plug-in hybrid vehicle by adjusting a frequency of operation of a cooler when cooling an on-board charger (OBC) by circulating coolant when the temperature of the OBC rises while a high-voltage battery is being charged. The operations of a water pump and a radiator fan are controlled by determining whether the voltage of the high-voltage battery is within or out of a reference voltage range in which the on-board charging of the high-voltage battery is performed. This consequently prevents power from being unnecessarily consumed by operation of the cooler, such that the efficiency of charging is improved and the OBC is properly cooled.

Abstract: An engine control method for heating of a hybrid electric vehicle, includes collecting information for air conditioning control by a sensor during an operation of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) device in the hybrid electric vehicle in which forced engine driving for heating is performed, determining whether a condition that requires pre-engine driving as driving in a separate mode from forced engine driving is satisfied based on the collected information, upon determining that the condition that requires the pre-engine driving is required is satisfied, determining whether a condition for allowing the pre-engine driving is satisfied based on engine efficiency and hybrid system efficiency information, and upon determining that the condition for allowing the pre-engine driving is satisfied, performing the pre-engine driving for driving an engine to manage engine coolant temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling a driving mode of an HEV are provided. The apparatus releases an HEV mode at an appropriate time before forcibly releasing an engine clutch even when an accelerator pedal is engaged while driving the vehicle on an uphill road in the HEV mode to reduce a shock caused when the engine clutch is forcibly disengaged and improve riding comfort and drivability. The method includes determining whether the vehicle is driven on an uphill road from gradient information of a current road while the vehicle is driven in a HEV mode and determining a clutch engagement impossible speed corresponding to the gradient of the current road when the vehicle is driven on the uphill road. The engine clutch is disengaged to release the HEV mode when the speed of the motor is equal to or less than the determined clutch engagement impossible speed.

Abstract: A charging control method and system for an electric vehicle are provided. The charging control method includes monitoring, by a controller, a state of an auxiliary battery including a state of charge (SOC), temperature, and charging current of the auxiliary battery. A charging mode of the electric vehicle is then determined based on the monitored state of the auxiliary battery. A charging voltage of the auxiliary battery is set based on the monitored SOC and temperature of the auxiliary battery and then the auxiliary battery is charged with the set charging voltage.

Abstract: A system and method for charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle can improve the on-board charging efficiency of the plug-in hybrid vehicle by adjusting a frequency of operation of a cooler when cooling an on-board charger (OBC) by circulating coolant when the temperature of the OBC rises while a high-voltage battery is being charged. The operations of a water pump and a radiator fan are controlled by determining whether the voltage of the high-voltage battery is within or out of a reference voltage range in which the on-board charging of the high-voltage battery is performed. This consequently prevents power from being unnecessarily consumed by operation of the cooler, such that the efficiency of charging is improved and the OBC is properly cooled.

Abstract: A motor speed control method and system for improving the performance of a running resistance evaluation of a hybrid electric vehicle are provided. The method includes determining whether a vehicle satisfies a running resistance evaluation start condition. When the vehicle satisfies the running resistance evaluation start condition, the speed of a motor is adjusted, which adjusts an input speed of a transmission to be equal to an output speed of the transmission. A speed adjustment of the motor is then completed using the speed of the motor and the output speed of the transmission.