A vehicle includes first and second electric machines constrained to rotate in unison and configured to power a common axle. A controller is programmed to, in response to activation of the vehicle, select one of the first and second speed sensors as a representative speed sensor, and, in reponse to the electric machines being in speed control, command speeds to the first and second electric machines based on a difference between a target speed of the electric machines and a measured speed of the representative speed sensor.