The DTC of voltage source inverter-fed PMSMs is based on hysteresis controllers of torque and flux. It has several advantages, namely, elimination of the mandatory rotor position sensor, less computation time, and rapid torque response. In addition, the stator resistance is the only parameter, which should be known, and no reference frame transformation is required. The DTC theory has achieved great success in the control of induction motors. However, for the control of PMSM drives proposed a few years ago, there are many basic theoretical problems that must be clarified. This paper describes an investigation into the effect of the zero voltage space vectors in the DTC system and points out that if using it rationally, not only can the DTC of the PMSM drive be driven successfully, but torque and flux ripples are reduced and overall performance of the system is improved. The implementation of DTC in PMSM drives is described and the switching tables specific for an interior PMSM are derived. The conventional eight voltage-vector switching table, which is namely used in the DTC of induction motors does not seem to regulate the torque and stator flux in a PMSM well when the motor operates at low speed. Modelling and simulation studies have both revealed that a six voltage-vector switching table is more appropriate for PMSM drives at low speed. In addition, the sources of difficulties, namely, the error in the detection of the initial rotor position, the variation of stator resistance, and the offsets in measurements are analysed and discussed.