HYBRID VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME

A hybrid vehicle (10) is mounted with a traction motor (300A), a power storage device (310) for storing electric power input to and output from the traction motor (300A), an engine (100), and a power generation mechanism (300A) to generate charging electric power for the power storage device (310) by an output from the engine (100). An ECU (400) sets charging/discharging electric power of the power storage device to control SOC of the power storage device (310) to be within a predetermined range centered about a SOC control target in a running mode with the engine (100) operating. The output from the engine (100) is set to ensure the charging/discharging electric power. The ECU (400) sets the charging/discharging electric power such that the power storage device (310) is discharged to an extent corresponding to a predetermined SOC higher than the lower limit SOC according to requirement power required for vehicle running, even when the SOC is lower than the SOC control target.