A　direct　torque　control　(DTC)　strategy　of　five-phase　permanent　magnet　synchronous　motor　(PMSM)　is　proposed　in　this　study.　The　proposed　DTC　scheme　uses　five-phase　inverter　to　output　basic　voltage　vector　or　discrete　synthesised　voltage　vectors　in　one　control　period　to　realise　the　direct　control　of　torque　and　flux　on　the　fundamental　and　third　harmonic　planes　simultaneously,　and　then　realise　the　third　harmonic　current　injection　to　enhance　the　load　capacity.　In　order　to　realise　the　third　harmonic　current　injection　with　maximum　torque　outputting　and　minimum　peak　of　stator　current,　the　maximum　torque　per　ampere　(MTPA)　scheme　is　proposed　in　which　the　minimum　copper　loss　and　the　same　phase　relation　between　fundamental　and　third　harmonic　currents　are　taken　as　the　constraint　conditions,　and　the　amplitude　of　the　fundamental　and　third　harmonic　fluxes　and　the　optimal　torque　distribution　ratio　are　derived　in　MTPA.　A　TMS320F2812-based　digital　controller　is　adopted　as　a　core　to　construct　the　DTC　experimental　platform　of　the　five-phase　PMSM　with　800　W　rated　power.　The　results　of　experiment　and　simulation　show　that　the　proposed　DTC　strategy　can　improve　the　maximum　load　torque　of　the　motor,　reduce　the　flux　density　of　the　stator　and　improve　the　core　utilisation　rate　of　the　stator.　©　The　Institution　of　Engineering　and　Technology　2018.