PSA Group Announces A Slow Return to the U.S.

It was only a few years ago the PSA Peugeot Citroën were on life support due to declining sales and bleeding money. But thanks to an infusion of cash from the Chinese automaker Dongfeng and the French government, the French company was able to get back on track. The past couple years have seen the automaker become profitable.

Now the French automaker has announced a return to the U.S. Yes, the company now known as PSA Group announced this week they would be coming back to the U.S.

Speaking to analysts and investors at PSA Group headquarters in Paris, CEO Carlos Tavares unveiled a ten-year that could see Citroën, DS, and Peugeot vehicles making the Atlantic crossing.

Wait, why a ten-year plan?

Keep in mind that Citroën hasn't sold any vehicles U.S. since 1974 and Peugeot left in 1991. They don't know a lot about the U.S. market. Tavares said a group has been formed to study the marketplace and various regulations.

What does the plan look like?

Automotive News (Subscription Required) explains the plan is split up in three parts.

• Step one sees PSA Group enter the U.S. as a mobility operator next year. They could team up with a French company called Bollore that builds batteries and compact electric vehicles. At the moment, Bollore is working with Citroën to bring a concept of theirs into production as an EV.
• Step two has PSA starting up a car sharing service - Zipcar, GM's Maven - that would be owned and operated by them.
• If the first two steps are successful, step three could see PSA returning “to sell cars in the U.S. supported by regional sourcing when appropriate,” said Tavares.

Pic Credit: PSA Group