HOUSTON -- Shell-branded gas stations in the United States now accept payments from select cars with smart dashboards. Some Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicle owners can use Shell Pay & Save within the in-dash GM Marketplace from General Motors to pay for fuel directly. They can also participate in Shell’s Fuel Rewards loyalty program.
Customers using this payment option make a few selections on the vehicle’s touchscreen and a three-digit code is generated that allows the user to activate a specific pump and start fueling. The amount due is then automatically charged to the customer's payment method of choice, be that credit or debit or directly to their checking account. All of this is done without swiping a credit card or using a mobile device, and Fuel Rewards savings are applied without the use of a physical loyalty card.
As part of the launch of in-dash fuel payment, customers driving eligible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles can earn a one-time discount of 25 cents per gallon in Fuel Rewards savings, up to 20 gallons on their next single fueling transaction after they sign up and use Shell Pay & Save within Marketplace and make a purchase of at least five gallons. Plus, these customers can earn an extra 5 cents per gallon in Fuel Rewards savings—up to 20 gallons—after each fuel purchase of at least five gallons on every fill-up through Dec. 31, 2018.
"We are very excited to be able to announce that this technology is now live at Shell-branded locations across the United States," said Sydney Kimball, vice president of fuel sales and marketing Americas for Shell Oil Products U.S., Houston. "What an incredible opportunity this is, and we couldn't be more thrilled to bring this to our customers."
Buick and ExxonMobil
Shell’s move follows a recent announcement from Buick and ExxonMobil. As of early August, Buick drivers can pay for fuel at ExxonMobil locations from their in-car dash display. The payment system can also link to the driver’s ExxonMobil Speedpass account, allowing them to accumulate reward points with each purchase. Irving, Texas-based ExxonMobil also recently partnered with WEX, South Portland, Maine, a provider of corporate payment solutions, for the launch of DriverDash, a mobile alternative for payment with plastic.
Embedded in-dash fueling at Shell is powered by GM Marketplace, a commerce platform for on-demand reservations and purchases of goods and services. Marketplace allows GM owners to order food, make dinner reservations, find parking or hotels and locate and pay for fuel.
"Fueling is obviously an essential part of the vehicle ownership experience and we're excited to offer our drivers a new way to fuel up with convenience, security and speed," said Rick Ruskin, Marketplace line of business leader for General Motors, Detroit. "Through Marketplace, we've been able to harness the power of the connected vehicle to change the way people think about everyday tasks like filling up."
Shell and GM have worked with several companies to develop and roll out this innovative technology and customer experience, including Excentus, Xevo, Chase, Buy It Mobility (BIM) and Shell's payment platform provider, P97. This nationwide rollout to customers at participating Shell-branded stations comes following a pilot in select U.S. markets earlier this year.
Photo courtesy of GM Marketplace.
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