A fractional-horsepower motor (FHP) is an electric motor with a rated output power of less than (the term 'fractional' indicates less than one unit). There is no defined minimum output, however, it is generally accepted that a motor with a frame size of less than 35mm square can be referred to as a 'micro-motor'. Fractional-horsepower electric motors are exempt from the US Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the new EN 60034-30:2009 ruling of European directive 2005/32/EC concerning the efficiency classes of low-voltage three-phase asynchronous motors. History The earliest commercially successful electric motors date back to the latter part of the 19th century when Nikola Tesla patented his induction motor in 1888. The development of fractional-horsepower motors, however, would not have taken place without the push toward urban, and later, rural electrification, using alternating current. Electrification began in cities around 1900, and Chester Beach, an employee of Hamilton-Beach company, invented a high-speed fractional motor in 1905, which the company used in its milkshake machine, the Cyclone Drink Mixer, introduced in 1910, and sold to urban drugstores for use in their soda fountains. Within a few years it was found in most drugstores. With electrification, so too came the potential market for washing machines, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and a host of other commercial appliances. This was recognised by major manufacturers, like Westinghouse and General Electric, who were already in the business of manufacturing large motors for industrial installations. By 1920, over 500,000 fractional-horsepower motors were powering washers and other appliances in America. Following World War II, FHP motor manufacturing experienced a new surge as the demand for consumer goods increased. Since that time, demand for these environmentally-friendly motors has continued to grow and the number of applications that they can be used for continues to rise. For example, most automotive systems, power tools, small machines and appliances use FHP motors. Because of the practicality of FHP motors, they continue to be incredibly popular. In 2017, experts estimated that the European FHP market was worth around US$4.5 billion. After the Second World War, the demand for FHP motors grew, particularly throughout the consumerist boom of the 1950s and 60's. In 2000, the European FHP market was worth an estimated $4.5 billion with some 300-million units in manufacture. Precision motors Servo motors and stepper motors are specialist types of fractional-horsepower electric motors usually intended for high-precision or robotics applications. Usually running from a