Multiphase space vector pulsewidth modulation (SVPWM) method has gained much attention with the growing interest in multiphase motor drives. Conventional multiphase SVPWM becomes more complex with the increase of phases, while simplified multiphase SVPWM is required for industrial applications. In addition, common-mode voltage (CMV) is the main cause of motor bearing damage and winding insulation breakdown for electrical drives. In this article, a simplified and generalized SVPWM method with CMV reduction is proposed for multiphase drives. The proposed SVPWM is intuitive and universal for arbitrary two-level multiphase inverters with odd phases, and CMV is restricted within ±V_dc/2N (N is phase number). Experimental results verify theoretical analysis and effectiveness of the proposed method.