This paper describes an efficiency optimization control method for high performance interior permanent magnet synchronous motor drives with online estimation of motor parameters. The control system is based on an inputoutput feedback linearization method which provides high performance control and simultaneously ensures the minimization of the motor losses. The controllable electrical loss can be minimized by the optimal control of the armature current vector. It is shown that parameter variations except at near the nominal conditions have undesirable effect on the controller performance. Therefore, a parameter estimation method based on the second method of Lyapunov is presented which guarantees the stability and convergence of the estimation. The extensive simulation results show the feasibility of the proposed controller and observer and their desirable performances.