A hybrid electric vehicle has a first mode in which slippage of a clutch between an electric motor and a driving wheel is allowed and controlled by rotational speed control of the electric motor and a second mode in which the slippage of the clutch is allowed and controlled by rotational speed control of an engine. When the vehicle is stationary in the first mode, a controller reduces a control setpoint of hydraulic pressure of the clutch from an initial point. The controller identifies a reference point of the control setpoint with which actual output torque of the electric motor becomes unchanged with respect to the reduction of the control setpoint. Then, the controller increases the control setpoint from the reference point at a higher gradient and then a lower gradient, and then sets the control setpoint to a corrected point below the initial point and above the reference point.