Permanent magnet rotary electric motor

The invention provides a permanent magnet rotary electric motor as a starter-generator apparatus with which high driving torque is obtained when it functions as a starter motor whereas the driven torque can be suppressed low when it functions as a generator. To achieve this, a permanent magnet rotary electric motor which includes a stator 50 and a winding 53 on the stator, and a substantially cylindrical rotor yoke 61 including a plurality of permanent magnets 62 disposed along a circumferential direction and rotatable around the stator 50 and wherein the rotor yoke 61 has a commutating pole portion 613 between each adjacent ones of the permanent magnets 62, is constructed such that a gap 612, 614 is provided at a portion between each of the permanent magnets 62 and the rotor yoke 61.