The invention discloses a method for setting target torque of a motor applicable to a pure electric vehicle. The method is characterized in that: a general controller serves as a control core of the pure electric vehicle and is a main executor of a general control strategy. The method comprises the following steps that: the general controller judges a driving intention of a driver by acquiring driver signals of an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a gear switch and the like, confirms a traction or brake mode, performs information interaction with a motor controller and a battery management system, calculates target traction or brake torque, executes a corresponding general control strategy and outputs corresponding torque information and directional signals of the motor; and a related control instruction is transmitted to the motor controller, and the motor controller controls the motor to work under drive or brake working conditions according to the control instruction, so that energy distribution of the pure electric vehicle from an energy storage system to a motor driving system is effectively controlled, and the energy storage system, the motor driving system and the like are correspondingly protected.