Vehicle alternator having reduced windings

A method of forming a stator of an electric machine comprising:

• providing a generally cylindrically-shaped stator core having an inner diameter, an outer diameter, and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced and axially-extending core teeth that define a plurality of circumferentially-spaced and axially-extending core slots in a surface thereof, the core slots extending between a first and a second end of the stator core and each having an end;
• providing a stator winding having a plurality of phases, each phase comprised of at least one conductor having a plurality of slot segments housed in the core slots, the slot segments alternately connected at the first and second ends of the stator core by a plurality of end loop segments;
• inserting the slot segments into the core slots;
• positioning the slot segments within the stator core such that the slot segments only partially fills the core slots and there is empty space between the inner diameter and the ends of the core slots within each of the core slots;
• securing the slot segments and the winding within the core slots.