A two-phase switched reluctance machine is provided using discontinuous core structures as the stator for low-cost, high-performance drives. This discontinuous stator core structure contains short flux paths and maximum overlap between the rotor poles and stator poles in the stator discontinuous core structures, regardless of the rotor position. Example configurations of such core structure include E-core, L-core and I-core configurations. Using less steel and magnet wire than in conventional SRM designs results in cost savings of stator material and winding material. Efficiency of this novel SRM is improved because of shorter flux paths resulting in reduction of core losses and decreased phase resistance resulting in reduction of copper losses. Two-phase simultaneous excitation of the novel SRM can reduce torque ripple during commutation as compared with existing two-phase SRMs.