Method for initializing temperature monitoring for components of an electric motor, wherein the temperature monitoring is implemented in an electronic motor control system, wherein the method has the following steps of: - determining a period between a switch-off time, which is indicative of when the electric motor was last switched off, and a switch-on time, which is indicative of when the electric motor is switched on again, - determining respective temperatures of temperature-controlled components at the switch-on time by means of temperature sensors fitted to the temperature-controlled components, - determining respective temperatures or excessive temperature increases of temperature-monitored components (120, 135, 140) at the switch-off time by means of stored data, - calculating respective temperatures of the temperature-monitored components (120, 135, 140) at the switch-on time based on their respective temperatures or excessive temperature increases at the switch-off time, the temperatures of the temperature-controlled components at the switch-on time and/or the period between the switch-off time and the switch-on time, wherein temperatures of components in a second set of temperature-monitored components are calculated at the switch-on time using a respective empirical model, wherein each model has the following input parameters for calculating the temperature of the respective temperature-monitored component in the second set: - the period between the switch-off time and the switch-on time, - a time constant, - a starting value which is calculated based on at least one temperature of a temperature-controlled component at the switch-on time, and - a final value which is calculated based on the temperature of the temperature-monitored component at the switch-off time, characterized in that the switch-off time and the switch-on time are obtained from a vehicle bus system or an internal timer of the electronic motor control system, wherein the temperature of the temperature-monitored component in the second set at the switch-on time is calculated as follows: starting value − final value * period / period + time constant + final value. - determining a period between a switch-off time, which is indicative of when the electric motor was last switched off, and a switch-on time, which is indicative of when the electric motor is switched on again, - determining respective temperatures of temperature-controlled components at the switch-on time by means of temperature sensors fitted to the temperature-controlled components, - determining respective temperatures or excessive temperature increases of temperature-monitored components (120, 135, 140) at the switch-off time by means of stored data, - calculating respective temperatures of the temperature-monitored components (120, 135, 140) at the switch-on time based on their respective temperatures or excessive temperature increases at the switch-off time, the temperatures of the temperature-controlled components at the switch-on time and/or the period between the switch-off time and the switch-on time, wherein temperatures of components in a second set of temperature-monitored components are calculated at the switch-on time using a respective empirical model, wherein each model has the following input parameters for calculating the temperature of the respective temperature-monitored component in the second set: - the period between the switch-off time and the switch-on time, - a time constant, - a starting value which is calculated based on at least one temperature of a temperature-controlled component at the switch-on time, and - a final value which is calculated based on the temperature of the temperature-monitored component at the switch-off time,