receiving, via a controller, a request signal indicative of a requested output torque of the EDU;

accelerating the electric traction motor to a target motor speed at a calibrated speed profile, the calibrated speed profile corresponding to a predetermined vehicle acceleration rate, wherein the calibrated speed profile and the target motor speed are configured to minimize total system losses of the EDU while achieving the requested output torque;

when the predetermined vehicle acceleration rate remains below a calibrated acceleration threshold and a turbine speed of a turbine of the torque converter is less than a corner speed of the electric traction motor, commanding a torque converter clutch (TCC) of the torque converter to transition to or remain in a locked state; and

commanding the TCC to transition to an unlocked state from the locked state to reach the target motor speed, thereby selectively enabling multiplication of an input torque from the electric traction motor when operating at the target motor speed, wherein the target motor speed corresponds to an actual output torque that is achievable by the torque converter when the TCC is in the unlocked state being equal to an actual output torque achievable by the torque converter when the TCC is in the locked state.