A two-phase bipolar step motor, comprises a rotor having a plurality of pairs of rotor poles of alternating magnetic polarity, and a stator having four primary energizable stator poles with conductive windings around those primary stator poles and four passive inter-poles located uniformly between every adjacent pair of primary stator poles, the passive inter-poles lacking any conductive windings. Both 18° steppers with five pairs of rotor poles and 30° steppers with three pairs of rotor poles are provided. Also provided are both PM hybrid mix steppers with 2D magnetic flux paths and hybrid steppers with 3D magnetic flux paths having an axial component. In each case, the overall lengths of the flux paths are substantially reduced from conventional designs resulting in improved motor efficiency.