Because of recent issues with the Esso/Mobil app during its rollout that resolved themselves, that drove me to trying the Shell App to see if it was any better. And based on my testing, it is and it isn’t. Let me explain.
Registration is very easy. After you install the app you’re prompted to enter you email address to set up the app. And you are able to add your CAA membership number and your AirMiles membership numbers to earn rewards. In my case, I entered my CAA membership number as I can save 3 cents a litre on every fill up. One big plus is that you can create an AirMiles account on the fly if you want one.
In terms of being able to drive up and fill my car with gas, that part is stupid simple:
- You drive up to the pump
- You open the app
- Pick the pump number
- Authorize the pump using a stored credit card or Apple Pay. I selected Apple Pay as that is more secure.
- Wait for the authorization to go through and then wait for the pump to tell you to select the grade of gas that you want to fill up with. Choose the grade and start pumping.
All of this was smooth and easy. I had no issues whatsoever filling up every time I used the app. So that part of the user experience was good. However, paying in store was not as good. The way it is supposed to work is that you choose to pay inside and a barcode appears to allow you to pay inside. If you’ve used the Starbucks app, it’s kind of like that. But for me, it has a fatal flaw:
Apparently you cannot pay using Apple Pay. Why I don’t know. But what it means for me is that I will not be using the app to pay inside a Shell gas station. After Petro Canada got pwned, there is zero chance I will be storing my credit card details in this or any other app. If Shell were smart, they would add Apple Pay support to the part of the app that runs in store payments because I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way.
To conclude, if I had to rank this app relative to the Petro Canada app and the old Esso app, it’s able the Petro Canada app but below the Esso app. If Shell would allow you to pay using Apple Pay in store, it would be above the Esso app. But to be fair, I need to review the new Esso/Mobil app. I’ll be doing that in the coming days and we’ll revisit this.
Uber and Shell Recharge Solutions collaboration expands BC’s EV infrastructure
Posted in Commentary with tags Shell, Uber on August 24, 2022 by itnerdToday, the first of three new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in British Columbia opened in locations with high rideshare utilization, thanks to a collaboration between Uber and Shell Recharge Solutions.
As a pilot project for the first six months, the charging stations will be available exclusively to drivers on the Uber platform at a discount to encourage adoption and provide a more convenient solution than at-home charging. The longer-term goal of this pilot project is to apply learnings in the creation of similar programs to increase EV adoption in other cities where ridesharing operates in North America.
The Greater Vancouver Region has the highest percentage of low-emission vehicles on Uber across all Canadian markets, but access to on-the-road charging options remains a key barrier. The first new EV charging station is located at Metropolis at Metrotown Mall – 4750 Kingsway, Burnaby, Lot 218 – available today.
Two more charging stations are expected to be available later this year, and the locations will be announced in the coming months.
This pilot project will have a total of six charging ports. Each site will feature 120kW fast-charging stations that are faster than most on-the-road chargers and has charge ports for two EVs.
Shell Recharge Solutions brought extensive experience providing turnkey solutions scaled to the specific electrification requirements of light, medium and heavy-duty fleets. Support included site acquisition, system design and installation, and site operation tools.
This is part of Uber Canada’s ongoing work to become a zero-emission platform in major cities in Canada by 2030. Just last month, Uber expanded its partnership with Hertz to Canada so rideshare drivers who use the Uber platform can now sign up to rent Teslas on a weekly basis from Hertz in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Earlier this year, Uber Canada announced partnerships with Wallbox and FLO to offer discounts on home-charging solutions. Uber Canada also announced a partnership with Plug’n Drive to provide drivers the opportunity to learn about the total cost of owning an EV and the benefits of making the switch from gas to electric. General Motors is giving discounts to rideshare drivers on the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Drivers of fully electric vehicles are eligible for Uber’s Zero Emissions incentive, which lets them earn an extra $1 on every trip with Uber up to $4,000 until December 31, 2022. And last fall, we also announced Uber+Transit as a pilot in the Greater Toronto Area. By looking at transit schedules and UberX availability, Uber will suggest a combined route that’s both convenient and affordable.
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