An electromagnetic motor has an outer housing and a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing to extend along the central axis and out through one end of the housing. A plurality of electromagnets are mounted in the housing at spaced intervals around an annular ring centered on the central axis. An elongate rotor member of ferromagnetic material is secured to the shaft and projects in diametrically opposite directions radially outwardly from the shaft up to the annular ring of electromagnets. A power supply is connected to successive diametrically opposed pairs of electromagnets through a switching assembly such that the ends of the rotor are attracted to successive activated melectromagnets in the ring, thereby rotating the shaft.