During an operation of an engine, an input limit Swin and an output limit
Swout of a battery are set to a power demand-based input limit Wp*, which
depends on a power demand P*, and to an accelerator opening-based output
limit Wacc, which depends on an accelerator opening Acc (steps S400 to
S420). This control technique effectively prevents the battery from being
frequently charged or discharged to a relatively high level of electric
power within an allowable electric power range defined by the reference
input limit Bwin and the reference output limit Bwout, thus restraining
premature deterioration of the battery.