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PSA plans to cut 8,000 jobs

The French government has said that PSA/Peugeot-Citroën must make large job cuts in order to stay financially afloat. A large restructuring would also need to take place as the carmaker deals with the current European economic climate and a production capacity excess.
According to an Automotive News Europe report, the government of France launched an investigation into the "financial health" of PSA, and its results subsequently criticized several decisions the company made, including the shuttering of plants near Paris without leaving failsafe options for production like its Madrid factory.
The result of the study is that the French automaker plans on cutting 8,000 jobs - on top of the 3,500 axed last year. Also planned is the closing of its Aulnay plant near Paris, along with a significantly downsized workforce at its Rennes plant in western France. Last year, PSA's small car plants were running at only 61 percent of maximum capacity.

Recharge Wrap-up: Georgia gets E15, new PSA EVs will be cheaper and offer more range

What would it be like to test drive a gasoline-powered car in an EV-dominated world? A post by Tibor Blomhall at Tesla Club Sweden gives a glimpse into this alternate universe. The review begins by noticing the pushiness of the dealer at the "repair shop" that sells the car, which is cause for suspicion - a clear nod to Tesla's lack of such franchise dealerships. Of course, the author mentions the noise, vibration and the smell of the exhaust. He notes the inefficiency of the idling vehicle and its less-than-smooth operation, particularly when it comes to changing gears. The one plus: refueling is quick. The downsides, though, are that the fuel is toxic, dangerous and expensive, and you can't refuel at home. "Imagine if you could charge your electric car only at the power companies' most expensive fast chargers - and nowhere else!" Read more at Tesla Club Sweden. Georgia's first E15 station opens Friday, May 8. The Gulf Quick Stop Food Store at 855 S Cobb Drive SE in Marietta, Georgia will offer the 88-octane E15 ethanol blend. Two other Gulf locations in Madison and Greensboro will also offer E15 in Georgia. Customers at the Marietta location can enjoy "Happy Hour" pricing from 4 to 5 pm on May 8, and festivities include music, a concert ticket giveaway, face painting and a moon walk. State officials will be present for the celebration. Read more at Domestic Fuel. PSA/Peugeot-Citroen says its second-generation EVs will be less expensive and offer more range (surprise). The company is also planning to launch a plug-in hybrid in 2019 using the company's EMP2 platform, shared by the Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4 Picasso. "PSA will make pure electric cars from the bottom of the market upwards based on the new platform by the end of the decade," says a PSA spokesman. As for the plug-in hybrid, PSA CEO Carlos Tavares says, "We have completed the architectural aspects and are currently deciding on the battery technology." Read more from Automotive News Europe. Related Gallery 2014 Peugeot 308: Frankfurt 2013 View 23 Photos News Source: Domestic Fuel, Automotive News Europe, Tesla Club SwedenImage Credit: Citroen Green Tesla Citroen Peugeot Alternative Fuels Ethanol Electric recharge wrapup

Citro"en and Sebastian Loeb to enter World Touring Car Championship in 2014

You didn't think that Sébastien Loeb was just going to completely give up racing altogether, did you? Sure, the dynamic French driver may have decided to call it quits in the World Rally Championship with nothing left to prove (he did, after all, thoroughly dominated the sport from 2003 through 2012 and won the Driver's Championship each of those nine years), but the draw of competition is apparently too great to ignore.
Citroën - the automaker Loeb won each of his nine WRC championships with - has officially announced that it is entering the World Touring Car Championship with their favorite driver in 2014. Citroën CEO Frédéric Banzet cites "extensive media coverage, regulations that keep costs down and a genuinely global race calendar" that will "help [Citroën] to develop the brand in promising growth markets such as China, Russia and South America" as reasons for entering. The team will be sponsored by the automaker's longtime partner, Total.
There's not much more to the press release below, but it's there if you're interested in taking a look.