ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUSES

An electric vehicle drive system includes: a reactor; and electric vehicle control apparatuses that control electric motors for driving an electric vehicle. Each of the electric vehicle control apparatuses includes: a capacitor that defines a filter circuit together with the reactor; an inverter circuit that supplies power to the corresponding one of the electric motors; and a control unit that controls the inverter circuit. The inverter circuit is housed in a housing together with the capacitor and the control unit. The reactor is connectable to each of the housings through an electric wire having any desired length. At least one of the electric wires connecting the reactor and the housings has a length of 2 meters or more.