Planned to replace the pre-WWII design TM[g] trams, with 377 units, the UV series became the most numerous type of tramcar produced in Hungary.

UV trams became one of the symbols of Budapest, and had appeared in a number of Hungarian and foreign movies as plot elements.

The UV series was designed with the aid of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and was specifically intended to improve on and address the flaws of the then-current TM Stuka tramcars which debuted in 1939.

In 1948, Ganz showcased a prototype tram set on the Budapest International Fair (BNV), made up from three modified TM cars damaged in the war.

The modified TMs at the ends were referred to as TV, resolving to T típusú távvezérelt motorkocsi ("type T remotely controlled motor coach"), the most significant alteration being that they were capable of operating as multiple units with each other with or without the third TM car acting as a plain trailer car in between.