Out of the many things we've come to expect from Walmart—cheap prices that many can't resist, old greeters that no one can avoid, and towns getting pissed when Walmart wants to build a new superstore—we never would have guessed the retail conglomerate would build a hybrid vehicle. But that's exactly what the company's done with the WAVE (Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experiment) concept.
Everything about the semi is unexpected: the aerodynamic cab that places the driver in the center, the range-extended motor (which includes a Capstone micro-turbine and an electric motor), and the carbon fiber trailer that weighs 4,000 pounds less than those made with conventional materials. This could be an evolution for semis, which are notoriously harsh on the environment. So selling the WAVE concept should be a no-brainer, right?
Not so much. Walmart hasn't announced any plans to produce the truck, and Green Car Reports says it's highly unlikely that the company will get into the truck business. Maybe Walmart plans keeping the trucks to use within the company. We'd hate for the WAVE concept to be relegated to a nice bit PR instead of being utilized.
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[via Green Car Reports]
