Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method

A hybrid electric vehicle has a first mode in which slippage of a clutch (CL2) between an electric motor (MG) and a driving wheel (RL,RR) is allowed and controlled by rotational speed control of the electric motor (MG) and a second mode in which the slippage of the clutch is allowed and controlled by rotational speed control of an engine (E). When the vehicle is stationary in the first mode, a controller reduces a control setpoint (P2*) of hydraulic pressure (P2) of the clutch from an initial point. The controller identifies a reference point of the control setpoint (P2*) with which actual output torque of the electric motor (MG) becomes unchanged with respect to the reduction of the control setpoint (P2*). Then, the controller increases the control setpoint (P2*) from the reference point at a higher gradient and then a lower gradient, and then sets the control setpoint (P2*) to a corrected point below the initial point and above the reference point.