Abstract: An electrical machine, which may be designed as a rotating machine or as a linear drive, includes a stationary part having an odd number multiphase winding (preferably five or seven phases), and a movable part separated from the stationary part by an effective gap. Each pole of the movable part includes two pole portions which diverge from each other in the direction away from the effective gap and between the end regions of which at the effective gap a magnetically non-conductive separating gap is provided which is greater than the effective gap. In such a machine, which is characterized by a permanent excitation in the movable part, there is provided between the proximate pole portions of each of adjacent poles a respective permanent magnet, the direction of flux of each permanent magnet being directed oppositely to the direction of flux of each adjacent permanent magnet.