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Permalink Reply by Cecilia on June 18, 2009 at 10:19

Another buzz about this is that Wal-Mart may be involved in the selling of these vehicles.

Makes perfect sense, as that would serve 1. as a low-entry dealer network and 2. as a refilling station for CNG vehicles at the WalMart stations already in the parking lots. There are few refilling alternatives at present, and this would guarantee that a customer returns to the store for refilling and increases chances of shopping there.

With the pressure Wal-Mart has faced from workers rights activists and environmentalists, they have pushed into a green initiative, and this would be the biggest revamp of their reputation yet. Immediately rebranded from evil corporation to green progressive. No different than what T. Boone has done in less than a year for his own reputation.

All that being said, this is just rumor that leads to interesting discussion.

But another part of the story is fact. In this kind of site selection process, access to affordable energy sources is huge, particularly in a manufacturing sector with heavy automation requiring vast amounts of energy. Much of the gas from the HS will run right past this plant on the way to Delhi. This is the first of many site selections that will be impacted by the HS and its affordable energy.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on June 18, 2009 at 10:29

Very interesting, Cecilia. I am wondering if there is a reason for V Vehicle Co. to be reporting their initial product as a gas engine model if it were actually a CNG model. The dealer network is also an interesting topic for speculation and, if the V vehicle were CNG powered, Wal Mart as "a" or "the" dealer would seem to be a perfect fit. As to your comment concerning the manufacturing sector, I am imagining the Port of Caddo-Bossier and the upper Red River as Jim Krow styled it, "The American Ruhr". Minus the coal of course. So much potential. The question - Will that potential be realized?

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Permalink Reply by North LA on June 18, 2009 at 14:40

Walmart selling NGV cars. That would be interesting. One article puts the starting price of the car at $10,000. That would definitely fit the Walmart model. I guess we'll find out in a couple of years.

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