Wal-Mart Considers Selling Electric Vehicles
Proving the old bromide that "many a truth is spoken in jest," Wal-Mart may be fulfilling a prediction made by some of TTAC's erudite readers: selling Chinese cars alongside the toilet plungers and plastic shoes. According to Bloomberg, Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott has revealed that the monolithic megastore chain has been talking with automakers about selling gas-electric hybrids and plug-in EVs at Wal-Mart. Lee decline to specify which carmakers are involved, or where they were located. Scott would only say the potential suppliers were "major" companies. He also unveiled a proposal to provide recharge stations for EVs, generating the juice via wind turbines or solar panels or some other politically correct means. Of course, there are logistical challenges, such as getting planning permission for a windmill at your local Wally World, training part-time minimum-wage stock clerks how to sell cars, and figuring out a way for customers to get their shiny new EV through the self-service checkout lane.
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I forgot they were going to be electric. That might make it worse you can't just hire people with mechanical knowledge or from existing repair shops, not that they would want to work for the low wage they like to pay.
Everybody has a beef with Wal Mart for one reason or another, when Wal Mart opens a new Super Centre everybody flocks to Wal Mart to save money. Its a total paradox, they say one thing and do another. The intellectual discussion of what would happen if Wal Mart got in the car business has been going around for years. They are masters at distribution, like Toyota is masters at assembly, distribution is an area of the automotive business that needs a "shake up". Wal Mart would tell the factory what to do, and not vice versa which is the present situation. As for trade ins, the major auction houses would gladly assist Wal Mart in dealing with trade ins.
Two words... Disposable Cars.