This study offers a novel extended Kalman filter (EKF) based estimation technique for the solution of the on-line estimation problem related to uncertainties in the stator and rotor resistances inherent to the speed-sensorless high efficiency control of induction motors (IMs) in the wide speed range as well as extending the limited number of states and parameter estimations possible with a conventional single EKF algorithm. For this aim, the introduced estimation technique in this work utilizes a single EKF algorithm with the consecutive execution of two inputs derived from the two individual extended IM models based on the stator resistance and rotor resistance estimation, differently from the other approaches in past studies, which require two separate EKF algorithms operating in a switching or braided manner: thus, it has superiority over the previous EKE schemes in this regard. The proposed EKF based estimation technique performing the on-line estimations of the stator currents, the rotor flux, the rotor angular velocity, and the load torque involving the viscous friction term together with the rotor and stator resistance is also used in the combination with the speed-sensorless direct vector control of IM and tested with simulations under the challenging 12 scenarios generated instantaneously via step and/or linear variations of the velocity reference, the load torque, the stator resistance, and the rotor resistance in the range of high and zero speed, assuming that the measured stator phase currents and voltages are available. Even under those variations, the performance of the speed-sensorless direct vector control system established on the novel EKF based estimation technique is observed to be quite good. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All tights reserved.