In　the　first　paper,　a　model　predictive　control　(MPC)　balancing　strategy　as　the　superior　control　is　developed　based　on　a　universal　equalization　plant　with　balancing　efficiency.　Herein,　two　typical　active　equalization　topologies,　i.　e.,　bidirectional　adjacent,　and　bus-based,　are　considered　to　design　the　low-level　controller,　and　the　bidirectional　flyback　converter　is　selected　as　an　individual　cell　equalizer　(ICE).　First,　the　extended　Kalman　filter　(EKF)　state-of　-charge　(SOC)　estimation　is　presented　to　develop　a　unified　ICE　model.　Then,　an　adaptive　estimation-based　control　is　proposed　to　track　the　optimal　balancing　reference　current　yielding　from　the　superior　control　MPC　formulation　under　the　charge/discharge　disturbance　and　parameters　uncertainties.　The　current/voltage　adaptive　sliding　-mode　tracking　control　of　the　ICE　is　derived　through　the　defined　Lyapunov　function,　and　the　results　are　compared　with　a　PI　controller.　Combined　with　the　MPC　balancing　strategy,　the　EKF　and　adaptive-based　controls　are　utilized　to　perform　a　balancing　task　for　a　5-series　battery　cells　module,　which　reduced　the　unbalanced　SOC　from　13%　to　1%.　To　conclude,　with　the　proposed　superior　control　MPC　strategy　yielding　optimal　current　targets,　the　low-level　adaptive　estimation-based　controller　for　the　ICE　can　effectively　balance　the　inconsistent　series-connected　cells　in　typical　active　equalization　systems　by　taking　disturbance　and　uncertainty　into　consideration.