Abstract: An electric motor includes a plurality of coils through which passes a ring rotor having a plurality of magnets supported thereon. The magnets are arranged about the ring rotor to be equidistant from an axis of rotation coinciding with the motor output shaft. The polarity of the magnets are alternated with North poles of adjacent magnets facing toward or against the direction of rotation of the rotor. The position of the rotor is detected and correspondingly electrical energy is applied to the coils to induce electro-magnetic fields which couple and superimpose with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnets. When the electrical energy is alternated between a certain voltage level and its inverse, each coil is able to simultaneously attract and repel adjacent magnets, thereby causing rotational movement of the rotor. The coils may be formed with superconducting materials and enclosed so that they may be cooled to superconducting temperatures. Other features to improve motor efficiency are shown.