A control unit uses upper and lower limit guard values to limit a power
generation quantity of a power generator and thereby to maintain the
current combustion mode during power generation of the power generator.
The control unit computes a remaining electric charge of a battery. When
the remaining electric charge drops to a predetermined value or below,
the control unit cancels a combustion mode maintaining operation, which
maintains the current combustion mode, is cancelled, so that priority is
given to the power generation of the power generator to recover the
remaining electric charge of the battery. Also, when an electric power
consumption in a vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined
value, the combustion mode maintaining operation is cancelled, and the
power generation quantity of the power generator is controlled in a
manner that does not cause overdischarge of the battery.