To provide a method for controlling a hybrid vehicle capable of enhancing the effect of reducing fuel consumption by reducing the time required to start lockup and start cutting fuel when decelerating the vehicle while an accelerator is fully closed.
In a hybrid vehicle where an engine output shaft, a motor generator, and a torque converter having a lockup clutch are connected in series with one another, when accelerator opening is not more than a predetermined opening the lockup clutch is engaged and the supply of fuel to the engine is stopped. When the lockup clutch is engaged, a desired value for bringing engine speed close to the turbine speed of the torque converter is determined. When the engine speed is higher than the desired value and when the speed at which the engine speed drops is lower than the speed at which the desired value drops, the motor generator is subjected to regenerative control. The engine speed is forcibly lowered by the motor generator so as to reduce the time required to start lockup and start cutting fuel, so as to enhance the effect of reducing fuel consumption.
MORINAGA MASAJI