Patent attributes
A vehicle control apparatus controls a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a power generation unit that converts at least one of an engine output of the internal combustion engine and a kinetic energy of the vehicle into electric power, and a power storage unit that stores the electric power. The vehicle control apparatus includes: a first control unit configured to control the vehicle to alternate repeatedly between acceleration travel, in which the vehicle accelerates using the engine output, and coasting travel, in which the vehicle coasts without using the engine output, such that a vehicle speed is maintained within a predetermined speed region; and a second control unit configured to control the power generation unit to convert at least one of the engine output and the kinetic energy into electric power during a coasting period in which the vehicle performs the coasting travel.
