Peugeot Pickup Promised for 2020

Chinese manufacturer Changan is working with PSA (Peugeot Citroen) to develop a pickup truck and has revealed images of its next-generation model, the Kaicene F70, due in 2020.

The Peugeot variant of the new pickup truck is currently being developed and is due to be revealed in 2020 before arriving in Europe a year later.

Back in 2016, the PSA Group announced its intentions to launch a global one-tonne pickup truck to rival the likes of the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.

Peugeot Pickup: History

Neither Peugeot or Citroen has marketed a pickup truck in Europe for over 20 years, since the Peugeot 504 pickup. Elsewhere in the world, Peugeot – up until quite recently – had a half-tonne pickup in South America, the Brazilian-built Peugeot Hoggar.

However, the global pickup truck market is now too big for Peugeot to ignore. Sales have trebled globally since 1990 and Peugeot is one of just three manufacturers, including Suzuki and Hyundai-Kia, in the Top 10 to not sell a pickup.

An area where pickup trucks have recorded the strongest growth is South America, a region where PSA has considerable presence.

Peugeot Pickup: PSA Announcement

In PSA’s 2016-2021 growth plan, titled Push to Pass, the group’s chairman Carlos Tavares announced that a pickup truck was crucial to increasing sales of Peugeot and Citroen.

“This new product is in line with the strategy of the Groupe PSA central model and will support our return in this growing market segment,” explained Patrice Lucas, executive vice president of programs and strategy at Groupe PSA.

“The pickup has been established for the Push to Pass plan with respect to light commercial vehicles, with the objective of tripling volumes abroad by 2021.”

However, PSA has decided not to go it alone. The Peugeot pickup will be a joint-venture with Chinese manufacturer Changan, with whom PSA has been partnering since 2010. Changan already has a pickup in China, the Shenqi, but this will not be badged as a Peugeot.

“This first common development for a new generation of pickup is a great opportunity for both companies to reach the markets in China and abroad. It is an important milestone in a long-term cooperation between Groupe PSA and Changan,” remarked Mingxue Yuan, executive vice president of cooperation and strategy at Changan.

Peugeot Pickup: What We Know

All we have right now is the overall dimensions; it measures 5.33m long, 1.93m wide and 1.89m high. That makes it marginally shorter and taller than a Ford Ranger. The wheelbase is 3.18 meters and there is, for Chinese models at least, a choice between Isuzu’s 1.9 and 2.5-litre engines but there is no news on the transmission, payload or towing capacity.

The new pickup, not branded as a Peugeot but keeping the Changan name, is expected to go into production at the Chinese firm’s Ding Zhou factory at the start of 2020, and be available to Chinese customers first. European models aren’t expected to arrive into dealerships before 2021.

Given the huge cost involved in transporting and importing vehicles from China to South America and Europe, PSA’s two largest markets, it’s likely that PSA will add an additional production line in either one of these continents.