In a vehicle control method, when drive force which a second electric motor is requested to output increases in a state where an internal combustion engine is stopped, drive force which the second electric motor outputs by using electric power supplied by a battery is limited to a lower level than maximum drive force determined from electric power which can be supplied by the battery to drive an electric-powered vehicle. Then, the drive force which the second electric motor outputs by using the electric power supplied by the battery is increased over time in a period from when the second electric motor outputs the drive force limited to the lower level to when the internal combustion engine is fired up and a first electric motor starts power generation.