To provide a controller for a hybrid electric vehicle by which an exhaust gas performance is kept almost constant over the use period of the vehicle.

The controller for the hybrid electric vehicle is provided with: a power generator 4 to be driven by an engine 2 for charging a battery 8; and a motor 10 for receiving a power to be supplied from the battery 8, and for driving a driving wheel 18. A basic power generation point is set at a more deteriorating side than the operating point where the predetermined emission gas characteristics of the engine 2 become the most satisfactory as a power generation point as the operating point of the engine 2 in the case of charging the battery 8, and when charging the battery 8 based on the output of the power generator 4, the engine 2 is operated at a power generation point shifted from the basic power generation point to the direction where the emission gas characteristics are improved according to the level of deterioration of the battery 8.