In a vehicle control apparatus, a system controller that overall controls an engine controller and a converter controller is provided. The system controller drives, through the converter controller, a generator with a generator-rotational-speed command value ωc_ref1 smaller than idling maintenance minimum rotational speed ωe_idol_min of an engine, starts, through the engine controller, fuel injection to the engine after elapse of a predetermined time, and, when the rotational speed of the engine reaches a predetermined rotational speed threshold ωe_th that is larger than the generator-rotational-speed command value ωe_ref and smaller than the idling maintenance minimum rotational speed ωe_idol_min, outputs, to a converter, a gate cutoff signal GSTOP for turning off energization to the generator.