An inverter comprises a first boost apparatus, a second boost apparatus, a first converting stage coupled to the first boost apparatus, wherein the first converting stage is configured such that a first three-level conductive path is formed when a voltage at a dc source is greater than an instantaneous value of a voltage at an output of the inverter and a first five-level conductive path is formed when the instantaneous value of the voltage at the output of inverter is greater than the voltage at the dc source.