January 5, 2026 - (Brooklyn, NY) PopWheels, a company based in Brooklyn, NY, that provides battery-swapping cabinets and infrastructure for e-bike delivery riders, recently announced additional funding of $2.3 million from investors that include institutions such as MetaProp, Partnership for New York City, Closed Loop Partners, New York Ventures and others.
The company’s innovative battery-swapping infrastructure reduces the risk of battery fires by allowing delivery workers to exchange their depleted battery for a fully charged one via a PopWheels battery-swapping cabinet.
PopWheels currently operates 30 stations in NYC servicing about 1,000 delivery workers and according to co-Founder David Hammer that number is expected to quintuple through 2026. “We’ve heard from approximately 1,000 customers that would like our services and we’re eager to support them,” Hammer told eBikes International during a phone interview.
The company plans to expand in NYC, and into a half a dozen or more US cities in 2026, including Toronto in Canada that has seen its share of e-bike battery fires as well. “We look forward to establishing Popwheels in Toronto and we’re just finalizing an initial pilot at a location not far from City Hall to service 50-100 delivery workers,” Hammer continued. “We’ll be financing the entire pilot ourselves and working in co-operation with government officials and the Toronto Fire Department.”
With a successful pilot, Popwheels plans to set up a network that includes Go Stations to accommodate both delivery workers and transit systems to facilitate safety goals. The company is working with Kevin McLaughlin, who operates Zygg eBike subscriptions in Toronto and Vancouver, as an advisor to Popwheels Canada.
The current funding announcement is on top of last year’s $2.4 million line of credit resulting from a connection to the Afterglow Climate Justice Fund, part of Candide Group, “… that allowed us to deploy hundreds of battery-swapping stations around NYC (and beyond)! I’m beyond grateful for their partnership, patience, and engagement,” commented Hammer on LinkedIN.
Hammer also noted Popwheels’ participation as the top performer in the successful NYC DOT Public E-Bike Battery Charging Pilot Program in 2024, where its products reduced in-home charging by over 90%. “We elected to use NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) batteries which are more expensive but offer a longer range,” he explained. Popwheels also joined the DC Department of Transportation’s E-Bike Food Delivery Pilot, aiming to support cleaner and safer food delivery operations.
In May 2025, the PopWheels Hudson Square Hub was launched, the first-ever FDNY-approved outdoor battery-swapping hub anywhere in the United States, setting a new standard for safe, UL-compliant urban energy solutions.
Battery swapping networks provide a safer alternative to charging e-bike batteries and keep them out of apartments etc. Structure fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in New York City have surged by 53% in the first three months of 2025 according to FDNY.
For just $75 per month, delivery workers can swap out their battery for a safe, UL-certified and fully charged one at PopWheels stations throughout the city instead of owning them, reducing personal costs by up to $500 per year and help keep hazardous uncertified batteries out of use.
According to Hammer new NYC Mayor Zohran Mandami supports the city’s progress in fighting e-bike battery fires. “It’s an exciting time for sure and we could see PopWheels operating in 15-20 cities by 2027, but we want to expand sensibly and work carefully with all stakeholders, and not get over our skis,” concluded Hammer. “We’re also seeing public demand from building owners requesting charging stations to keep batteries out of apartments, offices etc. and this another area that we’re looking into as well.”
For more information visit the PopWheels website here.
