Abstract: An induction motor is provided with a secondary portion 20 comprising an interlaced conductor/back-iron (or ferromagnetic) portion 60 and a purely ferromagnetic back-iron portion 62. The interlaced portion 60 comprises an electrically conductive lattice (or foam) material 61 having pores 63 filled with a ferromagnetic material which results in two interlaced lattices 61,63 which are continuous through a shared volume. The interlaced region 60 provides both good magnetic permeability for passing magnetic flux 30 and good electrical conductivity for flowing induced electrical currents necessary for induction motors. As a result, the effective magnetic gap G1 is minimized while also providing a low-cost induction motor. Alternatively, the lattice 61 may be a ferromagnetic material which is embedded with a conductor.