Autoblog

With gas prices as high as they are, it might seem hard to believe that some gas companies aren't profitable, but apparently Exxon Mobil isn't doing as well as they might wish. The company just announced that it will be selling off its gas stations for financial reasons. We suspect that the industry keeps itself shrouded in mystery to protect its profit at times, but Exxon Mobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips, to name a few, have all stated that certain nebulous factors in the supply, demand and refinery process have led to a steep drop in profitability. You know, dozens of billions instead of hundreds. To that end Exxon, for one, is shedding its stations.

Included in the sale will be the company's namesake gas stations. The retail group includes 820 self-operated stations and about 1,400 dealer managed outlets. The company wants suitors to know that this isn't desperation and that it will take at least a few years to finalize any sale. Because of the way the competition reacts to moves like this in the oil industry, we might see quite a bit of this sort of thing in the near future, as well. Hopefully this won't mean further consolidation and even higher pump prices for us motorists. Thanks for the tip, Josh!

[Source: The Street, Photo by David McNew/Getty]

In Dallas, a businessman has spent half a million dollars to install nine pumps that dispense E85, E10, and biodiesel. The catch: the businessman is a HUMMER dealer, and the pumps are next to his dealership. The station is called Classic Clean Fuels, and it is intended to make a statement for next year's H2 and H2 SUT, which will be the first production models to be Flex-fuel capable.

You won't need to drive a HUMMER to get E85 at the station. The pumps are open to the public, a first for a dealer-owned gas station. By 2010, GM has said all HUMMERs will be biofuel-capable. GM plans to market 15 Flexfuel models next year, but only one percent of the country's service stations sell E85. GM is using that as an opportunity to open the public's (and dealers') minds to putting alternative fuel stations in alternative places.

Said GM's Larry Burns, "Down the road we may even want to consider hydrogen dispensers at dealerships."

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

Dutch inventors might have ushered in the return of the full-service station. Yet like so many other things being taken out of the hands of flesh and blood people, the new full-service could be an all-robot affair. The robot -- called the Tankpitstop robot -- is affixed to the bowser, and if it recognizes the make and model of car, and your gas cap doesn't need a key, it will open everything up and start pumping.

The creation is the brainchild of a gas station operator who said he saw a robot milking a cow, and figured that a robot could fill a car. Heck, if robots can build cars and fill their fluids, we figure there's no reason why they can't fill a tank. The question now is how to let drivers know that the robot knows how to fill your car. What you don't want is to pull up in your freshly-waxed ride and hear the robotic equivalent of "Hmmm, let's try this..." As it stands, the robot costs €75,000. No telling what a station's liability insurance will cost.

[Source: Reuters]

OnStar will begin a service in June that can locate ethanol refueling stations for customers with E85-compatible flex-fuel vehicles. OnStar subscribers will first get an email detailing where E85 pumps are in their area and if they venture outside the comfort zone a quick push of OnStar’s blue button will dial up a representative who can help with directions. Inside Line is also reporting that OnStar is planning another new service that would let vehicle owners know when their tires are underinflated, a minor maintenance issue that can have a large negative impact on fuel economy.