An axle assembly comprising: a first axle shaft orientated along a first axis of rotation ; a second axle shaft orientated along said first axis of rotation with said first and second axle shafts extending in opposite directions; a first electric machine orientated along a second axis of rotation substantially parallel with said first axis of rotation ; a second electric machine spaced from said first electric machine and orientated along a third axis of rotation substantially parallel with said first axis of rotation ; a common gear reduction rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation and driven by said first and second electric machines ; and a speed change mechanism coupled to said common gear reduction to change the rotational torque transferred to said first and second axle shafts , wherein said common gear reduction includes an input shaft and an input drive wheel fixedly coupled to said input shaft , said input drive wheel engaging said first and second electric machines for transferring the rotational torque from said first and second electric machines to said input shaft , said input shaft orientated coaxially with said first axis of rotation and including an inner surface that defines a input shaft bore configured to receive said first axle shaft therethrough characterized in that said speed change mechanism includes a reduction gear set rotatable about said first axis of rotation and driven by said common gear reduction , and an output gear set rotatable about a fifth axis of rotation substantially parallel with said first axis of rotation and driven by said reduction gear set ; and said reduction gear set includes a first reduction gear and a second reduction gear rotatable about said input shaft , and a shift mechanism coupled to said input shaft and positioned between said first reduction gear and said second reduction gear for selectively transferring torque from said input shaft to said first reduction gear and said second reduction gear . a first axle shaft orientated along a first axis of rotation ; a second axle shaft orientated along said first axis of rotation with said first and second axle shafts extending in opposite directions; a first electric machine orientated along a second axis of rotation substantially parallel with said first axis of rotation ; a second electric machine spaced from said first electric machine and orientated along a third axis of rotation substantially parallel with said first axis of rotation ; a common gear reduction rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation and driven by said first and second electric machines ; and a speed change mechanism coupled to said common gear reduction to change the rotational torque transferred to said first and second axle shafts , wherein said common gear reduction includes an input shaft and an input drive wheel fixedly coupled to said input shaft , said input drive wheel engaging said first and second electric machines for transferring the rotational torque from said first and second electric machines to said input shaft , said input shaft orientated coaxially with said first axis of rotation and including an inner surface that defines a input shaft bore configured to receive said first axle shaft therethrough characterized in that said speed change mechanism includes a reduction gear set rotatable about said first axis of rotation and driven by said common gear reduction , and an output gear set rotatable about a fifth axis of rotation substantially parallel with said first axis of rotation and driven by said reduction gear set ; and said reduction gear set includes a first reduction gear and a second reduction gear rotatable about said input shaft , and a shift mechanism coupled to said input shaft and positioned between said first reduction gear and said second reduction gear for selectively transferring torque from said input shaft to said first reduction gear and said second reduction gear . <EOS>