Abstract: A fan and electric motor combination (or a fan adapted to be used in such a combination) which provides improved cooling for the motor, using a centrifugal impeller including rotating impeller blades. The impeller blades span between an impeller inlet and an impeller outlet, and they rotate to assist cooling airflow for the motor. Cooling airflow is also assisted by the position of the impeller in that the impeller outlet is positioned upstream of an intersection of the fan blade trailing edge and the hub. Therefore, cooling airflow is assisted by at least some (preferably all) of the pressure drop across the axial fan. If the impeller outlet is positioned still further upstream, e.g., upstream of an intersection of the fan blade leading edge and the hub, then the motor cooling airflow is assisted by all or nearly all of the pressure drop across the axial fan.