Power conversion apparatus

A power conversion apparatus that includes a rotary electric machine comprised of plural-phase windings connected in star configuration and an inverter including plural switch units, each of which is comprised of an upper-arm switch and a lower-arm switch connected in series to each other, the power conversion apparatus comprising:

• a connection path that electrically connects between a neutral point of the plural-phase windings and each of (i) a negative terminal of a first battery connected in series to a second battery and (ii) a positive terminal of the second battery;
• at least one connection switch mounted on the connection path,
• the at least one connection switch being configured to:
• electrically connect between the neutral point of the plural-phase windings and each of the negative terminal of the first battery and the positive terminal of the second battery while turned on;
• and
• cut off an electrical connection between the neutral point of the plural-phase windings and each of the negative terminal of the first battery and the positive terminal of the second battery while turned off;
• a control unit configured to perform at least one switching control task of the upper- and lower-arm switches while the at least one connection switch is in an on state;
• a determining unit configured to determine whether to execute a short-circuit control task that turns on one of the upper- and lower-arm switches of each switch unit and turns off the other of the upper- and lower-arm switches of the corresponding switch unit;
• and
• a cutoff unit configured to turn off the at least one connection switch when the determining unit determines to execute the short-circuit control task.