Abstract <p>The results of an analysis of promising directions for the development and research of traction electric drives are presented, demonstrating the relevance of using synchronous reluctance motors (SRMs). A mathematical description of an SRM in a two-phase coordinate system rotating synchronously with the rotor is given. A vector-control system for the SRM is synthesized, transfer functions of the closed-loop control circuits for two projections of the stator-winding currents are derived, and recommendations for calculating current and speed controllers are provided. Analytical equations for setting the projections of the stator-winding currents as functions of the electromagnetic-torque setpoint are obtained, the use of which allows minimizing the stator-winding current over the entire range of rotational-frequency variation. Results of computer simulation of an electric drive with a 102-kW motor confirming the operability of the proposed current-minimization solutions are presented. It is established that, in the constant-torque region, by selecting optimal setpoints for the stator-winding currents, it is possible to reduce the stator current by 29.7% compared to the operating mode with a constant setpoint on the <i>d</i> axis stator-current projection when the load decreases below the nominal value. In the constant-power region, the current-reduction effect is negligibly small compared to the classical vector-control-system variant. A comparative evaluation of the obtained results with the results of studies of other control systems for SRMs and synchronous motors with permanent-magnet excitation is given.</p>