Cool Beads sells beaded ice cream in Rapid City, South Dakota, and the van we built for them has no generator at all. It is a 2020 Ford Transit high roof that runs entirely on a battery bank, and on an ice cream van that is not a nice extra. It is the whole point of the build.
Here is the problem it solves. A taco truck can switch its generator off between stops. An ice cream van cannot switch off its freezers, not while it is driving between sites, not while it is parked waiting for the next event. The cold chain never gets a break. So the power system on this van was designed around one requirement: the freezers keep running no matter what the van is doing.
Walkthrough video
All electric, and why it matters for ice cream
The van runs on an 8,000Wh battery bank, housed in a cage we fabricated so it stays put on the road and is protected from anything that gets dropped or rolled into it. A transfer switch beside the electrical panel moves the van between shore power and the batteries.
In practice it works like this. Park it at night and plug it in, and the batteries charge from shore power. Unplug it in the morning and drive to the first stop, and the freezers carry on running off the batteries. The ice cream does not know the difference.
The other benefit is where an ice cream van actually earns its money: schools, parks, neighbourhoods, weddings and private events. Those are exactly the places where a generator running beside the window is a problem. Engine exhaust near children is a health concern, and generator noise ruins a wedding. A van on batteries is silent and has no exhaust at the window.
Power runs through a 125 amp panel with twelve outlets and lights inside and out. Every piece of equipment is on its own breaker and all the wiring runs in conduit, so a fault on one freezer trips one circuit and nothing else.
Two freezers, fitted by the owner
The van was built to take two 12.5 cubic foot angled top chest freezers. These were supplied with the build and the owner is fitting them, which is common on specialty builds where the operator already knows exactly how they want their display set up. We laid out the space, the outlets and the circuits around them.
Water and sinks, sized to pass inspection
Even a van that only scoops ice cream needs a full sink setup to pass a health inspection. This one has a three compartment sink and a separate hand wash sink, a water heater, a water pump, and two tanks of 30 and 40 gallons. The waste tank is the larger of the two because South Dakota requires it to be at least 15 percent bigger than the fresh tank.
Outside, there is a water fill and a dump valve, so filling and emptying never means carrying anything through the van.
Doors at both ends, and the window
There are doors at the front and at the side, so whoever is working the window is never trapped behind the counter. On a van this size that matters for safety as much as convenience. The service window is 5ft by 3ft, framed into the side of the van, with two six foot work tables inside.
Built for a South Dakota winter
Rapid City’s average January low is 13 degrees, so this van got our cold climate build: inch and a half insulation in the walls instead of the usual inch, and 9/16 inch plywood backing instead of half inch. Inside, the walls and ceiling are FRP, the floor is aluminum diamond plate, and there is trim between every panel so dirt cannot get behind it.
An ice cream van in a cold climate has an unusual problem: the freezers have to hold temperature whatever the outside air is doing, and the van still has to be comfortable to work in. Better insulation helps with both.
The wrap
The wrap does the selling. It is covered in cups of brightly colored beaded ice cream, the Cool Beads logo sits front and centre, and the window side calls out retail and special events. A child can recognise what this van sells from across a park, which is the whole job of an ice cream van wrap.
Getting an ice cream van licensed in Rapid City
Rapid City has two pieces: the state food licence and the city’s own ice cream vendor licence. Fees and rules change, so confirm them with the offices named before you budget.
The South Dakota food licence
The food service licence comes from the South Dakota Department of Health. The Department bills $88 a year, inspections included, or $44 for a half year, plus a $100 initial fee for a new establishment, and the licence expires on 31 December. Plans go to the Department at least 30 days before construction, and the unit needs a certified food manager and an inspection before the licence is issued. A commissary is required unless the unit carries approved dishwashing and enough storage on board, which is one reason this van has a full three compartment sink.
The Rapid City ice cream vendor licence
Rapid City does not allow food trucks to sell on the street in general, but it has a separate mobile ice cream vendor licence that does allow street sales, with rules built around child safety. The ordinance includes:
- A licence that runs for two years, with a police background check and $1 million of insurance naming the city.
- A convex front mirror, a backup alarm and CAUTION CHILDREN signs on the van.
- Selling from 10am to dusk, and no music or sound after 8pm or half an hour after sunset, whichever is earlier.
- No sales on streets posted at 30 mph or more, on truck routes, near school zones or in public parks.
- Stopping on the right side of the street, with flashers on, and no backing up to make a sale.
Check the current fee and rules with the city’s Finance department when you apply. Events such as those on Main Street Square need the organiser’s permission.
Sales tax
South Dakota’s state sales tax is 4.2 percent and every vendor needs a state sales tax licence. Rapid City adds 2 percent, plus a 1 percent tax on prepared food, so plan on about 7.2 percent and confirm with the Department of Revenue how it applies to your product.
Where an ice cream van earns around Rapid City
Rapid City has around 80,000 people and sits at the gateway to the Black Hills. Mount Rushmore alone saw about 1.9 million visits in 2025. Main Street Square runs free concerts every Thursday in June and July, the Central States Fair takes over every August, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally fills the region the same month. In winter the Black Hills Stock Show draws over 330,000 visitors. Add school events, parks, birthday parties and weddings, and there is no shortage of crowds that want something cold.
What a build like this costs
Custom food trucks start at $55,000 and custom food trailers start at $40,000. A typical 16ft truck comes in around $72,000, and a large 22ft build with a full equipment package runs closer to $110,000. A van conversion with no cooking line and no hood keeps the build simpler, while a battery system adds cost up front compared with a generator and pays it back in no fuel, no servicing and no noise.
Frequently asked questions
Can an ice cream truck run without a generator?
Yes. This Ford Transit ice cream van runs on an 8,000Wh battery bank in a fabricated cage, with a transfer switch between shore power and batteries. It charges when plugged in and runs the freezers from the batteries while it drives and sells.
Why is battery power good for an ice cream van?
The freezers can never be switched off, even while driving between stops, so the power has to be continuous. Batteries also mean no engine idling and no generator noise or exhaust at schools, parks and weddings, which is where an ice cream van does most of its business.
Does an ice cream van need sinks?
Yes. To pass a health inspection this van has a three compartment sink, a separate hand wash sink, a water heater, a pump and 30 and 40 gallon tanks, with the waste tank at least 15 percent larger than the fresh tank as South Dakota requires.
Can ice cream trucks sell on the street in Rapid City?
Yes, with Rapid City’s mobile ice cream vendor licence. General food trucks cannot sell on city streets, but licensed ice cream vendors can, from 10am to dusk, off streets posted at 30 mph or more, away from school zones and parks, and stopped on the right side of the street.
How much is a food licence for a mobile unit in South Dakota?
The South Dakota Department of Health bills $88 a year, inspections included, plus a $100 initial fee for a new establishment. The licence expires on 31 December, and plans are due 30 days before construction.
Can a van be converted into an ice cream truck?
Yes. This one is a 2020 Ford Transit high roof with a 5ft by 3ft service window framed in, doors at the front and side, a full sink setup, a 125 amp panel, a battery bank and room for two chest freezers.
More reading
- South Dakota food truck permits
- Custom ice cream truck builds
- All electric food trucks: a builder’s guide
- How much does a dessert truck cost
Recent builds
- 14ft smashburger food truck for Rapid City, South Dakota
- 18ft coffee and breakfast truck with a restroom for Missoula, Montana
- 14ft all electric pizza bus for Boulder, Colorado
- Ford Transit acai bowl truck for Fort Collins, Colorado
If you are thinking about an ice cream van, or any truck that needs to stay cold while it drives, call or text and we will work through the power with you before anything gets built. We have built around 500 food trucks, trailers, bus conversions and van conversions, and we ship anywhere in the country.
Jacob Varghese
Zion Foodtrucks
719-722-2537