Electric drive systems are the core assembly components of new energy vehicles, and their comprehensive performance optimization is of great significance. To enhance the power and economic efficiency of new energy vehicles, the electric drive systems have gradually developed multiple technological pathways to improve power density. This paper focuses on high-speed electric drive systems for pure electric passenger vehicles, elaborating on the domestic and international development status of rotor structure design, loss suppression, cooling technology, and wide-bandgap power devices in automotive high-speed electric drive systems. It identifies key issues in the electric drive systems, including rotor strength, transmission system design, high-frequency control, cooling and heat dissipation, vibration and noise, shaft current, and insulation design. The development trend in new material technology of the electric drive systems is summarized, such as continuous breakthrough, deepening integration, continuous optimization of control performance, continuous improvement of operation efficiency, and accelerated construction of intelligent operation and maintenance systems. On this basis, the paper proposes development suggestions about paying attention to the balanced optimization of the comprehensive performance of the electric drive systems, strengthening the integration design of the electric drive systems and the chassis, promoting the low-carbon green development of the electric drive systems, and optimizing the cost management of the high-speed electric drive systems.