An electric drive system for a three-phase PM electric machine. The drive system includes a split stator winding for each phase of the machine including a first winding section and a second winding section, and an inverter circuit including a pair of inverter switches for each phase, where the pair of inverter switches for each phase is electrically coupled to the first and second winding sections for that phase in the stator. The drive system also includes a switching system including a switch circuit, where the switch circuit includes a plurality of switch assemblies for switching between a full winding control mode and a half winding control mode, where each switch assembly includes a first AC switching device and a second AC switching device, and where each switch assembly is electrically coupled to the pair of inverter switches and the first and second winding sections for a particular phase.