The subject matter described herein includes a fan assembly for cooling an electric machine and an electric machine incorporating such a fan assembly. One exemplary fan assembly according to the subject matter described herein includes a first fan annulus for surrounding a portion of an electric machine. The fan assembly further includes a fan drive circuit for driving the first fan annulus separately from a drive mechanism of the electric machine. The first fan annulus is configured to be, when rotating to cool the electric machine, mechanically disconnected from a housing and a rotor of the electric machine and separated from the housing by radial gap.