An electric induction motor assembly includes a rotor assembly and a stator assembly. The rotor assembly includes an exposed bar rotor comprising a plurality of axially stacked, punched-to-size rotor laminations. The stator assembly includes a plurality of axially stacked, punched-to-size stator laminations. Each of the laminations presents an axial thickness of less than 0.024 inches. The rotor assembly and the stator assembly cooperatively define a radially extending air gap between a radially outer periphery of the rotor assembly and a radially inner periphery of the stator assembly that is less that 0.012 inches.