4 of Universal Studios Hollywood's backlot tour trams converted to cleaner electric vehicles

Universal Studios Hollywood's backlot tram tour has gone electric.

The Universal City-area amusement park rolled out its four first electric trams for its signature backlot tour, which brings visitors through iconic sets seen in blockbuster movies like "Back to the Future" and "Jaws."

The trams were converted by installing inductive charging technology from Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification, or WAVE, by Ideanomics. They will charge at the start and end of each attraction route, and have a regenerative breaking feature so they can build up charge as they travel downhill, park officials said.

Universal Studios' technical services department first conceived of converting to electric trams in 2017. Officials say the trams are some of the largest battery-powered, off-road, high-torque and low speed mass people movers in the country. Eventually, the park aims to fully convert its full fleet of 21 trams from diesel-hydraulic engines to electric with the goal of reducing carbon emissions.

The clean-air conversion process was designed by L.A.-based Complete Coach Works and was paid for by a grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which is funding projects to replace older equipment with cleaner ones that are cost-effective and reduce air pollution.