Operated and monitored in real time from YPF’s Real Time Intelligence Center (RTIC), the station combines advanced sensors, safety devices, and environmental controls to meet standards equivalent to traditional service stations. The installation represents the first of four such mobile units YPF plans to launch nationwide, with upcoming deployments targeted at Bariloche, northern Argentina, and other tourist hubs.
Senior executives, including YPF CEO Horacio Marín, emphasized the station’s role in enhancing service quality during peak seasonal demand, aiming to improve customer experience through agility and technology. The model also complements YPF’s broader strategy to diversify station formats, from premium “black” stations linked to McDonald’s partnerships to mobile units addressing demand hotspots or special events like Expoagro.
Industry sources confirm that competitors such as Shell, Axion Energy, Puma, and Gulf are actively assessing the commercial and operational viability of mobile stations, particularly for tourism corridors and seasonal markets. For traditional station operators, the emergence of this format introduces both competitive challenges and opportunities to optimize network coverage without incurring permanent facility costs.
The introduction reinforces YPF’s alliance with the Automóvil Club Argentino (ACA), extending benefits to ACA members and integrating mobile stations into an expansive network of around 1,650 outlets. YPF also ties mobile station deployment to digital engagement, enhancing customer loyalty through its ServiClub app with tailored seasonal promotions across major tourist destinations. The sector closely monitors the operational performance of the Pinamar station over the summer season, which will be critical in shaping potential industry-wide adoption of this flexible fuel distribution model.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
