Comparative Analysis of DTC-FOC CBSVM for Twelve-Switch NPC Inverter-Fed PMSM Drives in EVs

Abstract

The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) demands high-performance, efficient, and reliable electric drive systems with improved torque control and reduced power losses. This paper presents a comparative evaluation of Direct Torque Control with Carrier-Based Space Vector Modulation (DTC-CBSVM) and Field-Oriented Control with Carrier-Based Space Vector Modulation (FOC-CBSVM) for a twelve-switch Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) multilevel inverter-fed Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) drive intended for EV applications. The study aims to evaluate both control strategies in terms of speed tracking, torque response, torque ripple, stator current quality, flux regulation, inverter performance, and overall drive efficiency. A simulation model of the twelve-switch NPC inverter-fed PMSM drive is developed in MATLAB/Simulink, and both DTC-CBSVM and FOC-CBSVM strategies are implemented under identical operating conditions for a fair comparison. The results demonstrate that DTC-CBSVM provides faster torque response and improved dynamic performance, while FOC-CBSVM offers precise flux and torque control with smoother steady-state operation. The comparative analysis highlights the advantages and limitations of both strategies under different speed and load conditions. The study confirms that the integration of CBSVM with a twelve-switch NPC inverter can improve voltage utilization, reduce harmonic distortion, and enhance the overall performance of PMSM drives. The findings provide useful guidance for selecting suitable control strategies for high-performance and energy-efficient EV propulsion systems.