This paper contains an analysis of how the choice of energy optimal control of induction motors is influenced by motor construction, standard versus high-efficiency motor, and by application, constant torque (CT) and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) (interpreted as vector and scalar motor drives). The analysis is made with a 2.2 kW voltage-source-inverter-fed squirrel-cage motor drive as an example throughout the paper, but through statistics on the use of motors and their efficiencies, the conclusions are widened to a broader range (0-50 kW). Energy optimal control strategies are reviewed and cos( thetav;) control, a model-based control, and a search control are implemented in the laboratory in a vector and a scalar motor drive. The convergence speed for the strategies and their ability to reject disturbances are investigated by experiments. It is also shown experimentally that, for both standard and high-efficiency motors, motor energy-efficiency improvement is achievable by energy optimal control below 60\% load torque. The energy savings using energy optimal control strategies are measured on a pump system with a certain load cycle. Model-based control is recommended for CT applications and cos( thetav;) control for HVAC applications