A method and apparatus for controlling an electric motor. An electric motor apparatus has an electric motor with motor stator windings, a battery, battery control module coupled to the battery and configured to monitor and detect a state of the battery, and a motor control unit coupled to the battery and the batter control module and being configured to select an operation of the electric motor based on a signal from the battery control module representing the state of the battery. The motor control unit selects a normal motor control operation, a power dissipation motor control operation, or a discharge operation. During the power dissipation motor control operation, power from brake torque is dissipated in the motor stator windings of the electric motor.