CONTROL APPARATUS FOR HYBRID VEHICLE

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle that includes an engine serving as a drive force source, an electric motor serving as a drive force source, drive wheels, a storage battery for supplying and receiving an electric power to and from the electric motor, a transmission mechanism for transmitting a drive force supplied from each of the drive force sources toward the drive wheels. During running of the hybrid vehicle by a drive force of the electric motor with the engine being stopped, the control apparatus is configured to determine whether the engine is to be started. When determining that the engine is to be started during the running of the hybrid vehicle, the control apparatus is configured to cause a gear ratio of the transmission mechanism to be changed and to cause the engine to be started after the gear ratio of the transmission mechanism has been changed.