<p>This paper presents an improved energy management strategy (EMS) for a hybrid (fuel cell–supercapacitor–battery) tramway using an adaptive proportional-integral (PI) controller. The main objectives are: (i) to prevent sudden changes in the fuel cell current to prolong its lifespan; (ii) to effectively track the power requirements of the tramway under both steady-state and transient conditions; (iii) to regulate the DC bus voltage at a predefined reference; and (iv) to achieve robust control of the hybrid power source. The proposed EMS was conducted through two stages: first, using cascaded PI controllers to evaluate control performance based on the Turkish Driving Cycle of the Low Floor Light Rail Vehicle tramway, and second, integrating the adaptive PI controller into the inner control loop of the DC bus voltage. The adaptive PI controller outperforms the conventional PI controller by significantly reducing chattering and transient peaks of the DC bus voltage by 77%, decreasing the mean square error and standard deviation of the control tracking by 99% and 91.14%, respectively. Furthermore, the adaptive PI controller improves the robustness against parameter variations and reduces hydrogen consumption by 0.32%. These improvements enhance the overall control performance, thereby advancing the sustainability of fuel cell-based tramways and promoting environmentally friendly urban transportation.</p>