In this paper, a novel generalized discontinuous space-vector pulse width modulation (DSVPWM) strategy called DSVPWMx, which includes DSVPWMP, DSVPWMN, DSVPWMPN0, DSVPWMPN1, DSVPWMPN2, and DSVPWMPN3, is proposed for three-phase voltage source inverters. Six sectors are redivided into 12 ones based on space-vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) and local over modulation method. The principle of the new DSVPWMx is developed, essential relationship among different DSVPWMx strategies and linear modulation ranges of DSVPWMx are discussed. The characteristics for DSVPWMx and the traditional discontinuous pulse width modulation (DPWM) strategies such as DPWMMAX, DPWMMIN, DPWM0, DPWM1, DPWM2, and DPWM3 named as DPWMx are studied on the basis of harmonic distortion and switching loss. The simulation and experimental results verify that the DSVPWMx strategies are right and feasible.