SERIES HYBRID VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD AND SERIES HYBRID VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

A series hybrid vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle that has a battery, an electric power generating motor, a drive motor and an internal combustion engine. The battery charged with the electric power from the electric power generating motor that generates electric power by being driven by the internal combustion engine, and charged with the electric power regenerated by regenerative braking of the drive motor. The drive motor drives a drive wheel. The electric power consumption for motoring is greater in a B range than in a D range. The control method sets deceleration caused by regenerative braking of the drive motor to be greater in the B range than in the D range, and starts motoring of the internal combustion engine in the B range at a lower SOC of the battery than the SOC of the battery in the D range.