ELECTRIC DRIVE UNIT WITH A MULTI-SPEED TRANSMISSION AND METHOD FOR TRANSMISSION OPERATION

Systems and methods for an electric drive unit are provided. A transmission system in an electric drive unit, in one example includes an input shaft rotationally coupled to each of a first electric machine and a second electric machine and a first clutch arranged coaxial to a first countershaft, where a first gear is fixedly coupled the first clutch and meshes with a second gear that is fixedly coupled to the input shaft. The transmission system further includes a second clutch arranged coaxial to a second countershaft and spaced away from the first countershaft and a third gear that is fixedly coupled to the second clutch and meshes with the first gear, where the first clutch and the second clutch are configured to shift the transmission system between multiple gear ratios and deliver mechanical power to an output shaft that is spaced away from the second countershaft.