A hybrid electrical machine containing surface mounted magnets which includes a magnetically permeable cylindrically shaped stator assembly having at least one stator winding formed about a plurality of stator teeth, a rotor assembly concentrically disposed within the stator assembly, including a magnetically permeable rotor backiron, a rotational drive mechanism coupled to the rotor backiron, and a plurality of protruding rotor poles, each including a magnetically permeable pole support assembly, a winding provided around the pole support assembly, and a radially magnetized permanent magnet assembly disposed about the pole support assembly.