Abstract: An electronic drive control apparatus for controlling a drive coil of a contactor includes a microcontroller configured for generating an inverted pulse width modulated signal, and at least one semiconductor switch. A pulse-shaping stage is connected downstream of the microcontroller for varying the pulse width modulated signal. The pulse-shaping stage includes a preselectable RC combination and an inverter connected downstream of the RC combination and having a Schmitt trigger input. A preselection of the RC combination is carried out via a plurality of outputs of the microcontroller to open collector transistor stages of discharge resistors of the RC combination. The pulse width of the driving signal of the semiconductor switch is determined from the inverted pulse width modulated signal and the preselected RC combination.