New York's noisy food carts go electric in clean air trial

New York’s noisy food carts are turning electric in a clean air pilot designed to cut noise and pollution. The program involves 10 street vendors testing whether they can replace petrol generators that power stoves, freezers, and ventilators with rechargeable batteries. William Arevalo, 59, operates a cart in a Queens park and said he has noticed immediate improvements, including “no noise” and that the change reduces smoke entering the vehicle, which he described as harmful to health. The city council estimates electrifying the roughly 20,500 licensed carts would be comparable to removing about 30,000 cars from the road each year. However, the initiative faces hurdles tied to cost and infrastructure. Arevalo added that the batteries have been more reliable during hot July conditions than fuel generators, which can overheat and shut down.