Toyota exec: Oregon can lead mobility overhaul

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Oregon has an opportunity to lead the overhaul of American mobility, according to Bill Reinert, national manager of the Advanced Technologies Group for Toyota.

“Portland and Oregon is uniquely positioned to be the harbinger of where we're going to go in transportation,” Reinert said.

Toyota is testing its new plug-in Prius model in Portland starting later this year and made waves last week when it announced a partnership and investment in electric sports car company Tesla Motors.

“I personally don’t think that there’s a market for electric cars to replace gasoline cars,” said Reinert, in Portland Thursday to speak at the Innovation in Sustainability awards luncheon sponsored by Sustainable Business Oregon. “But I think there’s a huge opportunity for electric car-sharing programs.”

Enabled by smart phones that feature GPS capability, car sharing will enter a new realm, Reinert said, especially in resource-intensive cities.

Oregon’s advantage in framing the next generation of mobility, as outlined by Reinert include:

• The electric vehicle infrastructure currently being put in place by partners including ECOTality North America, PGE and Portland State University.
• The abundance of low-carbon power available in the Northwest thanks to the region’s hydropower and emerging renewable energy resources. An electric vehicle is only as clean as the grid it gets its power from.
• A regional mindset. Reinert said the spirit of cooperation he’s seen in Oregon is remarkable compared to other places he has traveled. “You’re as integrated as any community I’ve ever seen,” Reinert said.
• A climate that’s friendly to electric cars — which don’t perform well in hot or cold extremes.

Reinert emphasized that regulatory support for clean energy and a market-driven approach to building businesses — that is, no dependence on government subsidies — will be important factors for industry leadership.