Abstract: An electric drive includes a power component and an electric machine which is supplied with electrical energy via the power component. The power component is embodied as an inverter. When a starting condition is met, a drive controller for controlling the electric drive retrieves a configuration-specific parameter set from a data pool via a computer-to-computer interface, parameterizes itself in accordance with the retrieved parameter set and then determines control commands for the power component as a function of setpoint actuation states predefined for the drive controller, taking into account their parameterization, and actuates the power component accordingly. The setpoint actuation states are setpoint currents.