New York City is testing a quieter way to keep street food carts running, replacing gas generators with rechargeable batteries.
The six-month pilot could make conditions cleaner and less noisy for vendors while improving the experience for visitors to the park, as QNS reported.
What happened?
Near the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 10 mobile food carts will spend the next six months using rechargeable batteries instead of gas generators, an effort New York City Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung announced on July 7.
The NYC Clean-Powered Carts Challenge will let the city evaluate how the battery system performs during everyday vending while collecting vendor input before deciding whether to expand it.
As QNS explained, the city is working with Popwheels, which has provided battery-swapping infrastructure for the challenge.
For the trial, vendors will use retrofitted carts and swap drained batteries for charged ones at the beginning and end of each shift.
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Depending on how much power a cart uses, a battery may last as little as one hour or as long as a full day.
Yeung said the potential climate and health benefits could be substantial if the model expands citywide.
"If we electrified every food vending cart in New York City, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 120,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of taking 30,000 cars off the road each year," she noted.
Why does it matter?
For vendors, the issue goes beyond reducing pollution.
Day to day, gas-powered generators can create a difficult working environment.
They produce fumes and constant noise, so moving to batteries could mean cleaner air and a quieter setting for workers, customers, and others spending time in the park.
Mohamed Attia, managing director of Urban Justice Center's Street Vendor Project, emphasized that the change is extremely beneficial for workers' well-being.
"Our membership has shared numerous stories of health complications as a result of working next to gasoline generators all day," he said. "This initiative is rooted in environmental justice."
The battery-swapping system could also simplify daily operations.
Rather than dealing with fuel, engine noise, and generator maintenance, vendors can exchange used batteries for charged ones, saving time and avoiding added stress during a shift.
In a city that depends heavily on small businesses and shared public spaces, quieter and easier-to-manage equipment could benefit vendors, customers, and parkgoers alike.
What happens next?
The pilot brings together several city agencies and outside partners to determine whether battery-powered carts can work at scale.
Popwheels President and co-founder David Hammer used participating vendor William Arévalo's refurbished cart to demonstrate the battery's sound-dampening effect.
Arévalo has worked in Flushing Meadows Corona Park for about eight years and runs three businesses there.
Thomas Currao, Chief of Fire Prevention at the Fire Department of the City of New York, said the city's climate office worked with the FDNY to provide battery safety guidance for the pilot.
City officials also framed the effort as a way to support New York's smallest businesses.
Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, executive director of the Office of Street Vendor Services, underscored that aspect of the pilot.
"Street food entrepreneurs, like William, are our City's smallest businesses. [They help] shape New York City's unique flavor and culture, making affordable, diverse food offerings accessible to working-class New Yorkers and to tourists alike," she said.
Arévalo observed that the program would improve conditions for both workers and the public.
"This program means so much to us," Arévalo said. "Not only will we have a cleaner, safer, and much quieter workspace, but we'll also help make the park a more pleasant place for everyone by using batteries instead of generators."
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