Abstract: This paper overviews recent development in novel stator wound field synchronous machines which have a set of DC field excitation windings placed on the stator together with AC armature windings and a salient pole rotor without any coils or magnets. Therefore, they do not need slip-rings/brushes, as required in the conventional rotor wound field machines. The paper describes the operation principle and various novel machine topologies of stator wound field synchronous machines, and compares their electromagnetic performance, with particular reference to their torque capabilities.