The oil industry has long gouged U.S. motorists by selling "hot fuel." But welcome moves could end this deceitful practice, which costs consumers almost $2 billion a year.

Big Oil has steadfastly refused to make sure motorists get a dollar's worth of energy from a dollar's worth of gasoline.

The best solution: The nation's service stations should be required to dispense fuel at temperature-adjusted settings. New or retrofitted pumps would accurately deliver gasoline during hotter months, when fuel has expanded and contains less energy per gallon.

Oil companies contend that this program would be too costly. However, these assertions appear wildly overstated. And the savings to the public, year after year after year, easily tip the balance in favor of pursuing major changes. At a meeting this month, the National Conference of Weights and Measures could consider establishing a new standard that would require adjusting fuel sales for temperature.

Keep in mind what happened in Canada years ago. Big Oil fought for installing temperature-adjusted pumps, to make sure motorists didn't get too much energy when buying a gallon of gasoline at colder temperatures, when fuel had contracted. The industry took that action to protect itself from inaccurate pricing. Consumers should enjoy the same protection.