A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising: an end effector comprising a cutting instrument that, when actuated, longitudinally traverses the end effector to cut tissue clamped in the end effector; a shaft connected at its distal end to the end effector; and a handle connected to a proximate end of the shaft, wherein the handle comprises: an electric motor for actuating the cutting instrument; a motor control circuit for controlling the motor, wherein the motor control circuit comprises: a power source connected to the motor for electrically powering the motor; and a current control circuit, connected to the power source, for varying the current supplied to the motor from the power source, such that the motor has at least: a first, low power operational mode for a first portion of a cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument; and a second, high power operational mode for a second portion the cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument, characterised in that the current control circuit controls the motor according to a switching architecture such that the motor is in the first low power operational mode when the cutting instrument is within a threshold distance from an initial position of the cutting instrument or within a threshold distance from the end of stroke position of the cutting instrument. an end effector comprising a cutting instrument that, when actuated, longitudinally traverses the end effector to cut tissue clamped in the end effector; a shaft connected at its distal end to the end effector; and a handle connected to a proximate end of the shaft, wherein the handle comprises: an electric motor for actuating the cutting instrument; a motor control circuit for controlling the motor, wherein the motor control circuit comprises: a power source connected to the motor for electrically powering the motor; and a current control circuit, connected to the power source, for varying the current supplied to the motor from the power source, such that the motor has at least: a first, low power operational mode for a first portion of a cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument; and a second, high power operational mode for a second portion the cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument, an electric motor for actuating the cutting instrument; a motor control circuit for controlling the motor, wherein the motor control circuit comprises: a power source connected to the motor for electrically powering the motor; and a current control circuit, connected to the power source, for varying the current supplied to the motor from the power source, such that the motor has at least: a first, low power operational mode for a first portion of a cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument; and a second, high power operational mode for a second portion the cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument, a power source connected to the motor for electrically powering the motor; and a current control circuit, connected to the power source, for varying the current supplied to the motor from the power source, such that the motor has at least: a first, low power operational mode for a first portion of a cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument; and a second, high power operational mode for a second portion the cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument, a first, low power operational mode for a first portion of a cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument; and a second, high power operational mode for a second portion the cutting stroke cycle of the cutting instrument, characterised in that the current control circuit controls the motor according to a switching architecture such that the motor is in the first low power operational mode when the cutting instrument is within a threshold distance from an initial position of the cutting instrument or within a threshold distance from the end of stroke position of the cutting instrument.