The multi-stage transmission for an electric vehicle may include an input shaft to which a motor is configured to be coupled; an output shaft mounted in parallel with the input shaft; N shift gear pairs mounted on the input shaft and the output shaft and circumscribed with each other, to form N gear shifting stages; 2N-2 engagement clutch mechanisms mounted to select any one of the shift gear pairs to allow a power transmittable state between the input shaft and the output shaft to be switched by an gear engagement; N-1 coupling gear pairs mounted on the input shaft and the output shaft and circumscribed with each other; and N-1 friction clutch mechanisms mounted to select a coupling gear pair to allow a power transmission between the input shaft and the output shaft to be continuously varied by a frictional force.