A drive unit for a floor trolley, with at least one steered wheel (1), which is attached to a vehicle chassis (3) so that it can swivel about an essentially vertical swivel axis (2), a drive motor (4) with a drive shaft (5) being arranged coaxially with the swivel axis (2). The motor is in driving connection with the at least one wheel (1) via a gear system (10). The drive motor (4) and the gear system (10) are mounted in a common housing (16), consisting essentially of two separate housing portions, namely, a lower and an upper housing (portion 16a, 16b), that can be joined together by a fastening mechanism (18), and is mounted to rotate on the chassis (3) via at least one roller bearing (19). A drive unit is provided that at least one of the two housing portions (16a, 16b) is associated with a drawbar connection (20) formed integrally therewith by way of the housing (16) being swiveled relative to the chassis (3) about the swivel axis (2).