France?s PSA Group is on the cusp of what amounts to a giant do-over. Among brands under the company’s control, Citroën hasn?t been in the U.S. market since the mid-1970s, and Peugeot shipped out after 1991. Both brands once may have been known as stylish, but they weren’t able to overcome their quirkiness to gain wider American acceptance. Yet by now, the forgiving warmth of nostalgia?and, well, a couple of younger generations?give this automaker what?s effectively a clean slate.
With that slate, PSA is relaunching in North America. And it kicked off Phase One earlier this week in Seattle, not with the launch of a car or even a specific service, but with an app. Called Free2Move, it?s a personal-transportation aggregator, simply showing which ways of getting around are available nearby, and it includes suggestions for multiple modes including electric vehicles, bikes, and scooters. In a nutshell, think of it as an Expedia for getting around a city without your own car. In the seven European countries where Free2Move is already established, the service includes 24 car-sharing operators. Current U.S. partners will include car sharing from Zipcar and Car2Go and bike sharing from LimeBike, Ofo, and Spin. Within Seattle, for instance, Car2Go will be the best option for many doing one-way trips, while Zipcar will likely be the better option for round-trip journeys, and TravelCar will soon be a resource for airport rides. You can connect those accounts, so it?s a...