Regular readers of TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk will know that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and PSA Peugeot Citroen Group are no strangers to one another.
The two companies have already collaborated for the electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV model that will be sold under the Peugeot and Citroen brands – as the Peugeot i0n and Citroen C-ZERO – in Europe. Now, they are joining forces again.
According to reports in the Nikkei, the two companies are in talks over plans for Mitsubishi to supply PSA Peugeot Citroen with small internal combustion engine cars from 1.0-1.3litre displacements. The vehicles would be manufactured in emerging countries.
The reports suggests that the idea of a capital alliance was first suggested back in March and Mitsubishi remains keen to boost its cost competitiveness at a time when rivals are growing bigger through alliances – such as the partnerships between Nissan, Renault and Daimler.
It is now hoped that an agreement will be reached by the end of the year and that Mitsubishi will use its technology to make the mini vehicles small and light to achieve high fuel efficiency. It also plans to manufacture the small cars in Thailand in 2011 before considering mass production in China, India and Brazil.
