METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLUX OF AN ELECTRIC DRIVE UNIT FOR HEAT GENERATION

A method and apparatus for operating an electric drive unit having an inverter operatively coupled to a polyphase alternating current (AC) motor includes receiving a torque command corresponding to a torque to be produced by the AC motor; receiving a heat level request corresponding to a heat to be generated within the electric drive unit; determining a final current command that is responsive to the torque command and to the heat level request, wherein the current command includes operating in a flux-intensifying region relative to a Maximum Torque Per Ampere (MTPA) curve; and commanding operation of the inverter responsive to the final current command.