Fault tolerant electric drive system

A fault tolerant electric drive system comprises an alternator (10), a motor controller (12) and an electric motor (14), wherein the alternator (10) and motor (14) each have a plurality of corresponding independent phase windings, the motor controller (12) having a plurality of independent phase drives (16) corresponding to the phase windings, and a plurality of independent electric drive phases is defined by connecting each corresponding phase winding of the alternator (10) and motor (14) to a corresponding phase drive (16) of the motor controller (12).