E-Bike Batteries Replace Smelly Generators at NYC Food Carts

The delicious smell of street food should never compete with gasoline fumes, but that's exactly what happens at thousands of New York City food carts every day.

Brooklyn startup PopWheels just solved that problem using an unexpected power source: the same batteries that zip around the city on delivery bikes. Last week, La Chona Mexican food cart at 30th and Broadway became the first to run entirely on e-bike battery packs for a full day of service.

"I had multiple food cart owners come up to me and say, 'Wait, there's no noise with this cart. What are you guys doing? Can I get this?'" said David Hammer, PopWheels co-founder and CEO.

The idea started as a side project last summer. PopWheels already operates 30 charging cabinets across Manhattan serving hundreds of delivery workers who need reliable battery swaps to get through their shifts. The company designed these cabinets to prevent e-bike fires, which became a serious problem in New York a few years ago.

When Hammer learned the city wanted to decarbonize food carts, he ran the numbers. Food cart owners spend about $10 daily on gas to power their lights and equipment. Four PopWheels batteries deliver enough electricity to cover a typical cart's needs for the same price, and owners can swap them midday if needed.

The economics work for delivery workers too. Instead of paying bodegas $100 monthly for charging (about $2,000 yearly with battery wear), PopWheels customers pay $75 for unlimited network access. The company has a long waitlist.

The Ripple Effect

This simple battery swap creates wins across the board. Cart owners save money while eliminating the noise and fumes that repel customers. Delivery workers get affordable, safe charging infrastructure. Neighborhoods get cleaner air and quieter streets.

PopWheels raised $2.3 million last year to expand its network of charging stations, typically small fenced lots with electrical connections. Each cabinet draws about as much power as a home electric vehicle charger.

The startup partnered with nonprofit Street Vendor Project to roll out the food cart program. After last week's successful full-day test, PopWheels plans aggressive expansion starting this summer.

Hammer sees even bigger possibilities ahead. "If you build urban-scale, fire-safe battery swapping infrastructure, you're creating an infrastructure layer that lots of people are going to want to get on board with," he said.

The best part? Cart owners can stay cost neutral while making their corner of the city a little more pleasant for everyone.