An electric motor that comprises: a stator having a number S of stator poles (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26), a rotor having a rotor magnet, which rotor magnet has a number R of rotor poles (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46), R being equal to S, and the rotor or the stator or both exhibiting an asymmetry, a single-phase winding arrangement having a first winding terminal and a second winding terminal, current being capable of flowing through a number W of coils of the winding arrangement via the first winding terminal and the second winding terminal, an output stage that is configured to enable a current between the first winding terminal and the second winding terminal, a first apparatus (13, 13A, 13B, 13C, 69) comprising switches (55, 56) is provided, which is configured to enable, in cooperation with the output stage, a flow of current through a sub-group (TG1, TG2) of more than zero of the W coils and fewer than W of the W coils, a means for determining rotational speed further being provided for the purpose of sensing the rotational speed of the electric motor, and in which the electric motor is switched from a first state (STATE_1_2) to a second state (STATE_3_STATE_4) whenever the rotational speed of the electric motor upon starting of the motor is below a predefined minimum rotational speed or is at zero, wherein when the electric motor is in the first state (STATE_1_2), the output stage is controlled in such a way that current flows through all W coils via the first winding terminal and the second winding terminal, and when the electric motor is in the second state (STATE_3, STATE_4), the output stage is controlled in such a way that current flows through only the one sub-group (TG1, TG2) of the W coils, characterized in that the number of coils between the first winding terminal and a third winding terminal (13, 13A, 13B, 13C) is not equal to the number of coils between the third winding terminal (13, 13A, 13B, 13C) and the second winding terminal. a stator having a number S of stator poles (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26), a rotor having a rotor magnet, which rotor magnet has a number R of rotor poles (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46), R being equal to S, and the rotor or the stator or both exhibiting an asymmetry, a single-phase winding arrangement having a first winding terminal and a second winding terminal, current being capable of flowing through a number W of coils of the winding arrangement via the first winding terminal and the second winding terminal, an output stage that is configured to enable a current between the first winding terminal and the second winding terminal, a first apparatus (13, 13A, 13B, 13C, 69) comprising switches (55, 56) is provided, which is configured to enable, in cooperation with the output stage, a flow of current through a sub-group (TG1, TG2) of more than zero of the W coils and fewer than W of the W coils, a means for determining rotational speed further being provided for the purpose of sensing the rotational speed of the electric motor, and in which the electric motor is switched from a first state (STATE_1_2) to a second state (STATE_3_STATE_4) whenever the rotational speed of the electric motor upon starting of the motor is below a predefined minimum rotational speed or is at zero, wherein when the electric motor is in the first state (STATE_1_2), the output stage is controlled in such a way that current flows through all W coils via the first winding terminal and the second winding terminal, and when the electric motor is in the second state (STATE_3, STATE_4), the output stage is controlled in such a way that current flows through only the one sub-group (TG1, TG2) of the W coils, characterized in that the number of coils between the first winding terminal and a third winding terminal (13, 13A, 13B, 13C) is not equal to the number of coils between the third winding terminal (13, 13A, 13B, 13C) and the second winding terminal.