A D.C. brushless motor with a permanent magnet rotor employs Hall switches to effect commutation. The rotor magnets are of a greater axial length than the stator stack and the Hall switches are mounted on a printed circuit panel within the motor frame so as to be actuated by the fringe flux from the portion of a rotor magnet extending beyond the stator stack. The pole faces of the stator stack are stepped to assure proper starting and direction of rotation. A voltage regulating circuit forming part of the commutating arrangement on the printed circuit panel enables the same circuit to be used for a range of stator energizing voltages.