A vehicle drive system, comprising: a motor (16, 20) that generates driving force for drive wheels; an inverter (15a, 15b) electrically connected to the motor (16, 20); a battery unit that supplies electric power to the inverter (15a, 15b); and a control unit that controls operation of the inverter (15a, 15b), wherein the battery unit is configured to house a first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b, Batt2) batteries, and configured so that, when the first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b, Batt2) batteries are housed, the first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b, Batt2) batteries are serially connected, and a negative pole of the first battery (18a, Batt1) and a positive pole of the second battery (18b, Batt2) that are mutually connected are grounded, the control unit controls the operation of the inverter (15a, 15b) so that a voltage output from the inverter (15a, 15b) to the motor is higher than an output voltage of the first battery (18a, Batt1) and also than an output voltage of the second battery (18b, Batt2), at least one of the first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b; Batt2) batteries is a battery cartridge configured to be removably loaded into the battery unit, a connector of the battery unit and a connector of the inverter (15a, 15b) are electrically connected through a first wire, a second wire, and a third wire, the first wire is connected to a positive pole of the first battery, the second wire is connected to the negative pole of the first battery and the positive pole of the second battery, the third wire is connected to a negative pole of the second battery, and in the inverter (15a, 15b), first and second capacitors (15c, 15d) are serially connected, a connection node of the first and second capacitors (15c, 15d) is connected to the second wire, the other end of the first capacitor is connected to the first wire, and the other end of the second capacitor is connected to the third wire. a motor (16, 20) that generates driving force for drive wheels; an inverter (15a, 15b) electrically connected to the motor (16, 20); a battery unit that supplies electric power to the inverter (15a, 15b); and a control unit that controls operation of the inverter (15a, 15b), wherein the battery unit is configured to house a first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b, Batt2) batteries, and configured so that, when the first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b, Batt2) batteries are housed, the first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b, Batt2) batteries are serially connected, and a negative pole of the first battery (18a, Batt1) and a positive pole of the second battery (18b, Batt2) that are mutually connected are grounded, the control unit controls the operation of the inverter (15a, 15b) so that a voltage output from the inverter (15a, 15b) to the motor is higher than an output voltage of the first battery (18a, Batt1) and also than an output voltage of the second battery (18b, Batt2), at least one of the first (18a, Batt1) and second (18b; Batt2) batteries is a battery cartridge configured to be removably loaded into the battery unit, a connector of the battery unit and a connector of the inverter (15a, 15b) are electrically connected through a first wire, a second wire, and a third wire, the first wire is connected to a positive pole of the first battery, the second wire is connected to the negative pole of the first battery and the positive pole of the second battery, the third wire is connected to a negative pole of the second battery, and in the inverter (15a, 15b), first and second capacitors (15c, 15d) are serially connected, a connection node of the first and second capacitors (15c, 15d) is connected to the second wire, the other end of the first capacitor is connected to the first wire, and the other end of the second capacitor is connected to the third wire.