Toyota to Take Ownership of JV Czech Plant in 2021

Toyota Motor Corp. confirms it will take full ownership within three years of an assembly plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, currently operating through a joint venture with PSA Group.

Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile Czech sro, which was launched in 2002, makes Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo minicars at the factory. Toyota will acquire the facility in 2021 and make it part of its European unit, which operates seven other plants.

At that time, PSA will phase out the C1 and 108 models, according to Les Echos. The French business daily was first to report the plant sale. PSA and Toyota say only that Kolin will continue to produce the current A-segment cars.

The factory has capacity to make 300,000 cars annually. Last year it built nearly 200,000 units. Toyota says the facility will continue to make the Aygo, but the company didn’t indicate what other models it might build there after 2021.

Separately, the partners plan to expand their commercial vehicle alliance, through which PSA supplies Toyota with the Proace medium van from its plant in Hordain, France. The French company says it will begin making a Toyota-badged variant of its Citroen Berlingo small van at its plant in Vigo, Spain, at the end of next year.