The invention relates to improvement in electric motors. In this case it employs magnets composed of coils wound around iron cores, each magnet having two pole shoes or plates which act upon the armature or rotary element of the motor, the latter being composed of a number or iron segments separated by segments composed of non-magnetic material. The coils of the magnets receive current through the segments of a commutator from brushes arranged in such a manner as to short circuit some magnets and have the rest working, that is energized, and acting on the soft iron segments of the rotary armature, whereby the latter is actuated ant transmits power to a shaft.