EV Tram

The iconic Universal Studios backstage studio tour trams have been a staple of the famed Universal Studios California for decades. Having been on many of these tours myself, I can tell you the diesel engine trams were noisy. This made the tour less enjoyable as it was hard to hear the tour guide at times. When Universal decided to electrify the trams, many companies jumped on the ride to electrify. 

As a consultant for this project my task was to design the EE architecture, control strategy, and the battery simulation and design for this project. The load of the vehicle, slow speed, and high torque demand made the project very interesting from a powertrain controls standpoint. Using different electrical engineering techniques and model-based systems engineering, I was able to provide a strategy for the integrator to use in the Tram. The project has been a success and well received by the guests.