Based on the EMP2 platform, the new crossover will be manufactured alongside the future Peugeot 5008 and the Citroën E-Mehari.
With these three models, output at the plant will ultimately reach 100,000 vehicles per year compared with 60,000 currently.
The Rennes plant was chosen after a study carried out by PSA Group over several months, reflecting the performance measures taken by the plant and the commitments made to upgrade operations.
The plant upgrade plan puts forward several new solutions, with the introduction of more modern manufacturing processes. Work will begin in early 2017 and is scheduled to be completed in 2018. The upgrade represents a €100 million investment, which will also benefit other automotive industry players in Brittany.
The decision to manufacture the new vehicle in Rennes was made possible by the commitment of the entire workforce and the shared drive by management and the signatory trade unions to come together to secure the plant's future.
On 29 April, an agreement called the "Contract for the Future of Rennes" was signed at the plant, with the support of five of the Group’s six trade unions (CFDT, CFE/CGC, CFTC, FO and SIA/GSEA), representing more than 80% of employees. The decision to manufacture the new vehicle in Rennes was subject to this agreement, which will come into force on 1 January 2017.
Commenting on the announcement, Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board of PSA Group, said: "The decision to manufacture this new vehicle in Rennes shows that, when stakeholders are committed to working together to secure the future of a manufacturing plant, they can create the performance conditions necessary in a continuous efficiency improvement process."
