A system and a method of automatically determining an electric motor type are provided. An electric motor drive controller is configured to be coupled to an electric motor and to determine running parameters of the drive controller for the electric motor. The drive controller includes a memory device, a processor communicatively coupled to the memory device and to a user interface wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored on the memory device that cause the processor to automatically measure electrical characteristics of the electric motor, identify the electric motor using the measured electrical characteristics, load pre defined running parameters selected based on the identification into the memory device, and control an operation of the electric motor using the controller and the loaded running parameters.