Typically, a fixed deadtime designed for the worst-case condition or an online calculation of deadtime determined based on an inaccurate mathematical model is adopted for bidirectional-inductive-power-transfer (BIPT) converters. However, these methods are not the most effective approaches and would further affect the overall system performance of BIPT converters. To date, no detailed analysis of deadtime effects and optimum deadtime control schemes has been reported for BIPT converters. In this article, an accurate and comprehensive analysis of the deadtime effects and the factors affecting its choice are discussed. Based on the analysis, an effective and optimum deadtime control scheme for BIPT converters is proposed, which dynamically optimizes the deadtime while ensuring zero-voltage-switching for different operating conditions. Finally, an experimental prototype is built to verify the analysis of the deadtime influence and the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.