Information thermodynamics-based analysis of a minimalist autonomous chemically-driven molecular motor shows how information and energy flow, the two components of free energy transfer from chemical to mechanical transitions, enable the generation of directional motion from free energy supplied by a chemical fuel. The experimental rotary motor is a pure "chemical Maxwell's demon", as information flow is the sole driving force. However, energy flow could potentially be introduced using power strokes, one of several design variations explored using our model. The predicted effect of energy flow is in line with observations made in biological motors and contributes to the ongoing debate regarding the role of power strokes in molecular motors . Information thermodynamics confirms that, in line with kinetic analysis, power strokes do not affect some key properties of chemically-driven molecular machines such as directionality. However, the magnitude of power strokes is able to affect the magnitude of the current (how fast the motor components rotate), the efficiency in terms of how free energy is dissipated, and the number of fuel molecules consumed per cycle. But these results should not be misinterpreted as supporting special significance of power strokes compared to other processes in the chemomechanical cycle. The information thermodynamics framework used in this paper should be generally applicable to other types of synthetic molecular machines, such as non-autonomous and light-driven motors, providing a quantitative basis through which to compare molecular machine designs. Additionally, it could, in principle, be extended to other types of (supra)molecular systems (such as dissipative self-assembly ) powered by chemical engines . We have uncovered for the first time significant roles for 'energy flow' and 'information flow' in the mechanism of the transduction of free energy from chemical reactions by molecular machinery, although the exact nature of the connection of energy and information flow to energy and information Addition of a catalyst for the waste-forming reaction to the macrocycle could increase waste-formation chemical gating by increasing the rate of the proximal waste-forming reaction. c, Addition of a catalyst to the macrocycle that accelerates rather than hinders proximal barrier formation could negate chemical gating arising from steric hindrance, leading to an inversion of the directionality of the motor. d, Allowing the formation of a complex that binds the barrier and the macrocycle could allow the introduction of a power stroke by stabilizing the co-conformer in which the macrocycle is adjacent to the barrier. e, Conversely, a power stroke might be introduced by destabilizing the co-conformer with the macrocycle adjacent to the site with no barrier, for example by introduction of coulombic repulsion. f, Swapping one fumaramide binding site for a succinamide should, in principle, be sufficient to stall the rotary motor under the previous experimental operating conditions.