Despite a substantial quantity of patents for electrostatic motors are known, the majority of researchers believe that the information related to the physics of the processes, which drive the rotor, is extremely insufficient. The works devoted to the experimental investigations of characteristics of this kind of motors are virtually absent. In one of the early works, which describes a new physical effect of the “rotation of bodies in the electric field of moving charges” [1], the results are analyzed of the investigation of rotation of different balls located between electrodes connected to the opposite poles of an electrostatic generator. When the voltage of 25 – 35 kV is supplied to the electrodes, a flux of moving particles forms known as an “electric wind”, which for the first time was discovered by Benjamin Franklin. It was stated that the motion appears due to the involvement of the ionized air into the circulation around the ball. In the framework of this concept experiments were performed with various coatings on the ball surface – with a polymer flock, which forms a rough surface, and with a carbon lubricant, which creates a smooth conductive surface. The rate of rotation of the ball did not exceed 2 rps. The pressure decreasing in the chamber lead to the rotation rate decreasing up to the state of rest. To prove that the influence of the electric wind is insignificant, on the internal surface of the stator between the corona electrodes radial dielectric plates were mounted, which eliminated an air circulation around the rotor [2]. The rotor rotated with the rates greatly exceeding the rate of the electric wind, which did not exceed 2 m/s, as was evaluated [3]. More detailed descriptions both of experimental or theoretical investigations of these phenomena are lacking.   In the communication the results are presented of the studies of characteristics of an electrostatic motor with two conductive plates on a cylindrical dielectric rotor divided by a slit of a specified width. Blade-shape electrodes located at a specified distance d from the rotor and connected to the opposite poles of the high-voltage power source were used as corona electrodes. The rate of rotation was measured for various values of the slit between the conductive plated on the rotor, electrode voltage, and the distance of the corona electrodes to the rotor. The optimal slit value between the plates on the rotor was determined. The parameter d exerts a substantial influence on the rotation rate of the rotor. With its decreasing the rotor rotation rate increases, though the voltage value, which corresponds to the threshold when the discharge changes its regime from the corona to the spark discharge, diminishes; the energy losses increase, and the motor efficiency decreases. The optimal value of d was determined. The maximum rotation rate of 33 rps was obtained. A theoretical model of electrostatic motor is under development, which is based on the analysis of the force factors exerting action on the motor’s rotor in the external field of the corona discharge.