A power architecture for a vehicle comprising: a source of DC power, said source of DC power communicating with a plurality of machines through integrated motor drives, wherein each integrated motor drive is arranged to alternate operation as a starter and a generator, and comprises: a set of at least three stator coils, said stator coils for being positioned adjacent to a rotor (31;71;75) for a motor associated with said integrated motor drive; a current source inverter including a switching network (28,46;66) comprised of a plurality of diodes and switches (29;76), the switching network being connected to said set of stator coils and a pair of inductors (26;47,64) positioned on DC power rails; a set of commutating capacitors (32;49;68), wherein the commutating capacitors (32;49;68) are electrically connected to a line connecting said switching network and each of said set of stator coils, and a motor housing (22;44;61) with said current source inverter and said set of stator coils all being positioned within said motor housing, wherein said storage switching network is operable to be closed to allow power from said sets of stator coils to drive said rotors, or to be opened to allow power to no longer drive said rotors but instead pass to a local energy storage component; wherein a plurality of said local energy storage components supply stored energy to a central energy storage component; and wherein a bi-directional DC-DC converter is positioned between each of said local energy storage components and said central energy storage component. a source of DC power, said source of DC power communicating with a plurality of machines through integrated motor drives, wherein each integrated motor drive is arranged to alternate operation as a starter and a generator, and comprises: a set of at least three stator coils, said stator coils for being positioned adjacent to a rotor (31;71;75) for a motor associated with said integrated motor drive; a current source inverter including a switching network (28,46;66) comprised of a plurality of diodes and switches (29;76), the switching network being connected to said set of stator coils and a pair of inductors (26;47,64) positioned on DC power rails; a set of commutating capacitors (32;49;68), wherein the commutating capacitors (32;49;68) are electrically connected to a line connecting said switching network and each of said set of stator coils, and a motor housing (22;44;61) with said current source inverter and said set of stator coils all being positioned within said motor housing, wherein said storage switching network is operable to be closed to allow power from said sets of stator coils to drive said rotors, or to be opened to allow power to no longer drive said rotors but instead pass to a local energy storage component; a set of at least three stator coils, said stator coils for being positioned adjacent to a rotor (31;71;75) for a motor associated with said integrated motor drive; a current source inverter including a switching network (28,46;66) comprised of a plurality of diodes and switches (29;76), the switching network being connected to said set of stator coils and a pair of inductors (26;47,64) positioned on DC power rails; a set of commutating capacitors (32;49;68), wherein the commutating capacitors (32;49;68) are electrically connected to a line connecting said switching network and each of said set of stator coils, and a motor housing (22;44;61) with said current source inverter and said set of stator coils all being positioned within said motor housing, wherein said storage switching network is operable to be closed to allow power from said sets of stator coils to drive said rotors, or to be opened to allow power to no longer drive said rotors but instead pass to a local energy storage component; wherein a plurality of said local energy storage components supply stored energy to a central energy storage component; and wherein a bi-directional DC-DC converter is positioned between each of said local energy storage components and said central energy storage component.