At the moment illustrated, the current in the stator coil is in the direction shown and increasing. The induced voltage in the coil shown drives current and results in a clockwise torque.

Note that this simplified motor will turn once it is started in motion, but has no starting torque. Various techniques are used to produce some asymmetry in the fields to give the motor a starting torque.

A large percentage of small AC motors are classed as induction motors. This implies that there is no current supplied to the rotating coils. These coils are closed loops which have large currents induced in them because of their low resistance.