A lubricant supported electric motor comprising: a stator extending along an axis; a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed radially within the stator in spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor; a lubricant disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor within the stator; a wheel rim disposed in radially surrounding relationship with the stator and the rotor; a planetary gear reduction mechanism operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator, the planetary gear reduction mechanism including a sun gear disposed along the axis, a plurality of a planet gears engaged with and circumferentially disposed around the sun gear, and a ring gear engaged with a circumferentially disposed around the planet gears; wherein the rotor is interconnected with the sun gear, the stator is interconnected with the plurality of planet gears, and the wheel rim is interconnected with the ring gear to establish the operable interconnection of the planetary gear reduction mechanism; a planet carrier interconnected to the stator and defining a plurality of pins disposed in circumferentially fixed relationship about the axis; each of the plurality of planet gears rotatably supported by one of the plurality of pins to establish the interconnection between the stator and the plurality of planet gears; the planet carrier including an inner body portion disposed within the wheel rim in axially aligned relationship with the rotor and the stator and an outer body portion disposed axially outside of and in spaced relationship with the inner body portion, and each of the plurality of pins extending between the inner and outer body portions (223a,223c); the stator defining at least one passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber; the planet carrier defining at least one channel extending through the plurality of pins and disposed in fluid communication with the at least one passageway; and a pump disposed in fluid communication with the at least one channel for pumping the lubricant serially through the at least one channel and the at least one passageway to the at least one support chamber. a stator extending along an axis; a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed radially within the stator in spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor; a lubricant disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor within the stator; a wheel rim disposed in radially surrounding relationship with the stator and the rotor; a planetary gear reduction mechanism operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator, the planetary gear reduction mechanism including a sun gear disposed along the axis, a plurality of a planet gears engaged with and circumferentially disposed around the sun gear, and a ring gear engaged with a circumferentially disposed around the planet gears; wherein the rotor is interconnected with the sun gear, the stator is interconnected with the plurality of planet gears, and the wheel rim is interconnected with the ring gear to establish the operable interconnection of the planetary gear reduction mechanism; a planet carrier interconnected to the stator and defining a plurality of pins disposed in circumferentially fixed relationship about the axis; each of the plurality of planet gears rotatably supported by one of the plurality of pins to establish the interconnection between the stator and the plurality of planet gears; the planet carrier including an inner body portion disposed within the wheel rim in axially aligned relationship with the rotor and the stator and an outer body portion disposed axially outside of and in spaced relationship with the inner body portion, and each of the plurality of pins extending between the inner and outer body portions (223a,223c); the stator defining at least one passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber; the planet carrier defining at least one channel extending through the plurality of pins and disposed in fluid communication with the at least one passageway; and a pump disposed in fluid communication with the at least one channel for pumping the lubricant serially through the at least one channel and the at least one passageway to the at least one support chamber.