An electric machine

A brushless bi-directional electric machine comprising a housing mounting a rotor and a stator which includes stator windings, and an exciting coil located on each side of the rotor adjacent thereto, the rotor and the exciting coils mounted within the housing, the exciting coils and the stator being stationary with respect to the housing and the rotor mounted for rotation with respect to the housing, wherein the exciting coils include windings and wherein the electric machine comprises a controller configured to control an exciting current supplied to the windings of the exciting coils,

• wherein:
• the rotor includes a central part;
• a peripheral structure extends axially with respect to the central part to each side thereof;
• the stator is situated radially outward of the peripheral structure;
• and
• the windings of the exciting coils are situated radially inward of the peripheral structure and axially inward of an axially outermost edge of said peripheral structure, and
• wherein the controller is configured for connection to sensors adapted to sense parameters of the electric machine and/or parameters of devices connected to the electric machine.