A vehicle control device includes a motor, a transmission unit, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the motor, a vehicle speed sensor that detects a vehicle speed, and a controller. The controller controls switching of the transmission unit based on a first temperature determined in accordance with the vehicle speed as the temperature at which the transmission unit is switched from connection to disconnection, and a second temperature determined in accordance with the vehicle speed as the temperature at which the transmission unit is switched from the disconnection to the connection. The first temperature decreases as the vehicle speed increases. The controller switches the transmission unit from the connection to the disconnection based on the first temperature, and then switches the transmission unit from the disconnection to the connection based on the second temperature.