An axial flux motor includes: a stator having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the stator including: N stator core components on the first side, where N is an integer greater than two; and pole shoes attached to radial sides of the N stator core components, N slot openings between adjacent ones of the pole shoes, where each of the N slot openings extends in at least one direction non-radially on the first side; and a rotor including a third side and M permanent magnets on the third side, where the first side is parallel to the third side, and where M is an integer greater than two.