A fractional slot electric motor includes a stator core having a first side, a second side, and stator slots extending between the first and second sides. The fractional slot electric motor also includes a coil having a plurality of coil elements, where each coil element extends through at least one of the stator slots. Each coil element is coupled to at least one other coil element along the first side of the stator core. A first subset of the coil elements includes coil elements coupled to each other along the second side of the stator core. A second subset of the coil elements includes loop coil elements, where each loop coil element extends from one of the stator slots to another of the stator slots along the second side of the stator core without being connected to other coil elements along the second side of the stator core.