A power converter comprising: a converter circuit configured to rectify an AC voltage of an AC power source; a DC link configured to receive an output of the converter circuit that causes a DC voltage (vdc) of the DC link to pulsate at twice the frequency of the AC power source voltage, wherein capacitance of a capacitor connected to the DC link is set so that a maximum value of the DC voltage (vdc) is twice or more a minimum value of the DC voltage (vdc); and an inverter circuit configured to convert the DC voltage (vdc) generated by the DC link into an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency through the switching operation and to output the converted AC voltage to a motor, and a control unit configured to control the switching operation, the control unit being configured to generate a power source current command value |i in* | and to generate a voltage command for the inverter based on said power source current command value |i in* |, wherein the power source current command value | i in *| has a waveform that includes at least two maximum values in an AC power source voltage half cycle, and to perform a PWM control of the switching elements (Su, Sv, Sw, Sx, Sy, Sz) based on the voltage command, wherein the power source current command value |i in* | is generated such that two or more extrema appear in the AC power source voltage half cycle in a waveform obtained through multiplication of a waveform, which is synthesized from a fundamental wave, a third harmonic, and a fifth harmonic with respect to the fundamental frequency of the voltage of the AC power source, by the polarity of the voltage of the AC power source, such that a peak of the output torque of the motor can be reduced; characterized in that: the control unit is configured to control the inverter circuit such that the power source current (iin) is nonconducting for a period around a zero crossing point, and to adjust the length of the nonconducting period to reduce a peak or an effective value of the motor current. a converter circuit configured to rectify an AC voltage of an AC power source; a DC link configured to receive an output of the converter circuit that causes a DC voltage (vdc) of the DC link to pulsate at twice the frequency of the AC power source voltage, wherein capacitance of a capacitor connected to the DC link is set so that a maximum value of the DC voltage (vdc) is twice or more a minimum value of the DC voltage (vdc); and an inverter circuit configured to convert the DC voltage (vdc) generated by the DC link into an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency through the switching operation and to output the converted AC voltage to a motor, and a control unit configured to control the switching operation, the control unit being configured to generate a power source current command value |i in* | and to generate a voltage command for the inverter based on said power source current command value |i in* |, wherein the power source current command value | i in *| has a waveform that includes at least two maximum values in an AC power source voltage half cycle, and to perform a PWM control of the switching elements (Su, Sv, Sw, Sx, Sy, Sz) based on the voltage command, wherein the power source current command value |i in* | is generated such that two or more extrema appear in the AC power source voltage half cycle in a waveform obtained through multiplication of a waveform, which is synthesized from a fundamental wave, a third harmonic, and a fifth harmonic with respect to the fundamental frequency of the voltage of the AC power source, by the polarity of the voltage of the AC power source, such that a peak of the output torque of the motor can be reduced;