Electric vehicles (EVs) typically require separate power converters for supplying the traction motor and charging the battery. This paper proposes a multi-purpose capacitive-link universal converter that can fulfill the tasks of both power converters with only one circuit. The same components used for transferring power from the battery to the traction motor can be used for charging the battery; thus, eliminating the need for a separate on-board charger. Additionally, the proposed converter can charge the battery from both single-phase AC and three-phase AC sources. These features significantly reduce the cost, weight and volume of the proposed $E$V power converter. The size of the capacitor required for the proposed converter is considerably smaller than those used in the inverter and charging circuits of existing EVs. This results in further reduction of cost, weight, and volume as well as dramatic increase in reliability and lifetime of the converter. This paper discusses the principles of the operation and verifies the performance of the converter through simulation and experimental results.