Battery operated electric motor in a work apparatus

An electric motor includes an arrangement of windings provided for driving the rotor, with the windings being connected to an energy source to develop torque which drives the rotor. The electric circuits of corresponding ones of the windings each have a potential point, the voltage (UL, UG) of which is supplied to an evaluation unit via an adaptation device. The adaptation device can be operated in two switchable adaptation stages and is connected to a drive circuit that operates in dependence upon the rotational position of the rotor. The drive circuit switches the adaptation device into the first stage having a high sensitivity or into the second stage having a low sensitivity in dependence upon the rotational position of the rotor of the motor, such that the number of required analog inputs at a microprocessor in the evaluation unit can be kept low.