A permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is a nonlinear, strongly coupled, controlled object with time-varying, fractional-order characteristics. It is difficult to achieve the ideal control effect by using the traditional control method when motor parameter changes and load perturbations occur during the operation of the PMSM, so a fractional-order adaptive fuzzy backstepping control method is proposed to improve the system’s fast response and anti-jamming ability in the case of sudden changes in rotational speed, load perturbations and other conditions. Initially, the fractional order theory is introduced, backstepping control is utilized to decompose the system into multiple subsystems, and a fractional order-based Lyapunov function is designed for each subsystem to ensure the system’s stability. Suitable control laws, as well as parameter adaptive laws, are derived through rigorous mathematical derivation. Finally, a fractional order adaptive fuzzy backstepping controller (FOAB-FPID) is designed by combining the advantages of fuzzy control. Then a mechanical simulation model of the PMSM is established to verify the validity of the designed controller, followed by three sets of comparative experiments: PID, fuzzy PID (F-PID), and integer-order adaptive fuzzy backstepping (IOAB-FPID), which are selected to simulate the PMSM under the control of the four controllers. Finally, it is validated on the constructed PMSM experimental platform. Simulation and experimental results show that FOAB-FPID can adaptively adjust system parameters during sudden speed changes, achieve real-time speed tracking, and maintain speed stability under load perturbations and internal parameter uptake. Compared with the three control strategies, reached PMSM system has better acceleration, fast response performance, and better anti-disturbance ability, which proves the rationality and effectiveness of the FOAB-FPID control method.