ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVE DEVICE, AND ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVE METHOD

In a railway vehicle equipped with an electric motor, in order to suppress rotational speed fluctuations when wheel slip or skidding occurs, by using a simple configuration to appropriately vary a torque command reduced speed during wheel slipping or skidding, this electric motor drive device is provided with an inverter for driving the electric motor, a current detecting circuit for detecting a current of the electric motor, and a control device for controlling the inverter on the basis of a torque command value for the electric motor and a current detected value from a current detecting means, wherein the control device narrows down the torque of the electric motor by varying the torque command reduced speed for the electric motor on the basis of a wheel slip/skidding detection signal for detecting the occurrence of wheel slip or skidding of the electric motor, and the torque command value.