Mobile gas delivery proposed for Vancouver's car sharing drivers
California-based company offers an app that will let car2go members fill up anywhere, anytime
A California-based tech startup wants to let motorists fuel their vehicles anywhere, anytime with the use of an app, instead of driving to a gas station.
The mobile fuel service called Filld has partnered with car2go to deliver gas to the car-share company's Vancouver fleet.
Since the beginning of June, Filld has had two drivers and two half-ton trucks equipped with fuel storage tanks and pumps refuelling car2go vehicles across the city.
"This is an issue we have been struggling with for a while," said car2go general manager Chris Iuvancigh.
"Keeping our vehicles fuelled and ready for our members to use is a challenge. The cars are used a lot. Gas stations are not always where we need want them to be."
Gas station shortage
Filld officials say the company delivers gas to vehicles day or night, at work or at home, so motorists never have to hunt for a gas station.
"There's been a lot of announcements of gas stations starting to go in metro areas and in the process you're creating a bit of a problem for all the people who live there," said Filld co-founder Christopher Aubuchon from an office in Silicon Valley.
"Vancouver was one of the cities that met the right traffic density, fuel scarcity, supply and demand curves."
Only car2go for now, but expansion planned
Filld hopes its test case with car2go will expand to all Vancouver motorists by the end of the year.
Customers use an app to identify the location of their vehicle and schedule a delivery time.
The company's web page says the price of the gas is matched to the lowest of the gas stations to where the vehicle is parked, but there is a service fee.
The typical delivery charge is $3 US but it can fluctuate between free and $8 US depending on the time of day.
In Vancouver, delivery fees will be paid for by car2go in keeping with its policy that the price to rent vehicles includes gas and insurance, said Iuvancigh.
"We're seeing vehicles fuelled up and available to our members at a higher rate than they were previously," he said.
Business licence pending
A City of Vancouver spokesperson says Filld asked for a business licence in May.
As part of its review process, the city has asked for a detailed description of spill kits in Filld delivery trucks and a copy of its spill management plan.
The information was provided but officials have other questions, so the application is still under review.