PSA Group has announced plans to gradually return to the United States after decades of absence.
Known as PSA Peugeot-Citroën up until recently, the automaker will come back to our shores next year as a mobility operator. It will likely start a car-sharing program with industrial partner Bollore, a French firm that manufactures the BlueIndy cars that roam the streets of Indianapolis, as well as the cars that participate in Paris' Autolib' program.
Launching a car-sharing program in the United States will allow PSA to gather information about how American consumers get around, and what they look for in a car. If the program is successful, PSA will gradually begin to integrate Peugeot-, Citroën-, or DS-branded cars into the program to find out whether its series-produced cars are adapted to our market. The company stresses it will still own the cars, and they won't be offered for sale to the general public.
PSA will likely make a full-fledged return to the United States if both car-sharing programs are successful. However, company boss Carlos Tavares warns that a return is at least a decade away.
"This is a very thoughtful, progressive approach with a long-term perspective. We are doing this for the future generations of the company, starting from a very simple point, which is that if you want to be profitable and sustainable, you ought to do business in the three major markets in the world," explainedthe executive in a recent interview with British magazine Autocar .
Note: Citroën C4 Cactus pictured. Photos by Ronan Glon.
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