To buy a coffee truck in Shanghai, start by locking down compliance and power: choose a National VI chassis (Wuling Rongguang, DFSK, Foton) and design for a 6–8 kW electrical load (two‑group espresso 3–4 kW, grinder 500 W, fridge, hot water), with 220 V shore power via a 32 A industrial socket plus a silent generator or 10–15 kWh LiFePO4 battery/inverter for off‑grid. Budget RMB 120,000–350,000 all‑in (truck, buildout, equipment); source new builds in Jiading/Songjiang shops or vetted listings on 58.com, Alibaba, and Xianyu; insist on 304 stainless interiors, sealed fresh/grey tanks (80–120 L), hot water, add water filtration with softening inline, GFCI protection, gas‑free or enclosed LPG with leak detection, and two 4 kg ABC extinguishers. Register as an individual business (个体工商户), apply for a Food Business Permit (食品经营许可证) with your commissary address, and secure district approvals for mobile vending through AMR/urban management; operate only in designated zones or under property management (malls, parks, office campuses)—partnering with a host who provides space speeds approval. Favor compact heights under 2.5 m for garage access, install a service window, integrate WeChat/Alipay POS, and target 80–150 cups/day at RMB 18–28; with COGS near 30% and stable venues, payback is typically 6–10 months.
