Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA are willing to give Toyota a little push to help allay the European Union’s antitrust concerns.
Reuters reports PSA has offered to increase production of the Toyota ProAce at its Sevel Nord van plant in France.
Another source said PSA would sell the vans at close to cost price, in another attempt to appease regulators.
European Union regulators are concerned Stellantis – the combination of FCA and PSA to become the world’s fourth largest automaker – will hold too much market share in the light commercial vehicle market in Europe.
Combined, they’re expected to hold around 34 per cent, more than twice the share of the next largest players, Renault and Ford, which each have 16 per cent market share.
The European Union antitrust investigation has been on hold since July as EU regulators await data from FCA and PSA. The two companies have said they still expect the merger to be approved by the end of the first quarter of 2021.
The Toyota ProAce is a rebadge of the mid-sized Citroen Jumpy, Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro and Peugeot Expert. PSA has been manufacturing vans for Toyota since 2012.
All brands involved also sell a passenger version of the van, known as the Citroen SpaceTourer, Opel Zafira Life, Peugeot Traveller, Toyota ProAce Verso and Vauxhall Vivaro Life.
Fiat used to source its Scudo van from the Sevel Nord plant, though Fiat sold its share of the operation in 2015 and replaced the Scudo with a rebadged Renault Trafic known as the Talento.
