Mobile gas delivery proposed for Vancouver's car sharing drivers

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 calledFilldhas partnered with car2goto deliver gas to the car-share company's Vancouver fleet.

Since the beginning of June,Filld has had two drivers and twohalf-ton trucks equipped with fuel storage tanks and pumps refuelling car2govehicles 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

Filldofficials say the companydelivers gas to vehicles day or night, at work or at home, so motoristsnever have to hunt fora 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 Filldco-founder Christopher Aubuchonfrom an office in Silicon Valley.

"Vancouver was one of the cities that met the right traffic density, fuel scarcity, supply and demand curves."

Only car2gofor now,but expansion planned

Filldhopes 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 deliverytime.

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 USbut it can fluctuate between free and $8 USdepending on the time of day.

In Vancouver, delivery fees will be paid for by car2goin keeping with its policy that the price to rent vehiclesincludes gas and insurance, said Iuvancigh.

"We're seeing vehiclesfuelled 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 abusiness licencein May.

As part of itsreview process,the city hasasked for adetailed description of spill kits inFillddelivery trucks anda copy of its spill management plan.

The information wasprovided but officials haveother questions, so theapplication is still under review.