EP59: The Future of Car Sharing: A Deep Dive with Modo CEO Sandra Phillips

In this episode of The Future of Ground Transportation, host Daniel Perez sits down with Sandra Phillips, CEO of Modo, North America's oldest and first car-sharing cooperative. Sandra provides a masterclass on the complex world of shared mobility, built on 29 years of real-world experience.We explore the two fundamental challenges holding back mass adoption: the technical hurdle of building EV charging infrastructure for shared fleets (not just private owners), and the deep-seated cultural and emotional attachment to personal car ownership, a concept she calls "motonormativity." Sandra also shares her expert perspective on where autonomous vehicles will truly make their mark first - and it might not be where you think.Here are some power takeaways from today's conversation:- The Car-Sharing Cooperative Model Explained.- The EV Infrastructure Problem for Fleets- Changing Human Behavior & "Motonormativity- The Future of Autonomous Vehicles- Building a True Mobility EcosystemEpisode Highlights:The Car-Sharing Cooperative Model Explained. Sandra breaks down how Modo operates as a member-owned organization with 35,000 members and a diverse fleet of 1,000 vehicles.The EV Infrastructure Problem for Fleets. Discover why the current rollout of EV charging stations creates a "card salad" nightmare for shared services and what needs to change.Changing Human Behavior & "Motonormativity". We dissect the biggest barrier to shared mobility: the cultural belief that car ownership equals freedom, and how to overcome it.The Future of Autonomous Vehicles. Sandra provides a compelling argument for why AVs will first scale in long-haul trucking and shared urban fleets, not as personal cars.Building a True Mobility Ecosystem. Learn why the success of car sharing depends on seamless integration with public transit, cycling infrastructure, and walkable neighborhoods.Resources Mentioned:Book: "Getting to Yes" by William Ury (Expertise on conflict negotiation).Book: "The Octopus Organization" (A model for organizational agility).Research: National Report on Canada’s Automotive Future (Co-authored by Sandra Phillips via Movmi).Concepts: Motonormativity (The cultural bias toward car ownership).About the GuestSandra Phillips is the CEO of Modo, the first and oldest car-sharing cooperative in North America. Based in British Columbia, Canada, Sandra leads an organization of 35,000 members and a fleet of 1,000 vehicles, pioneering the shift from private ownership to a "multi-modal" mobility ecosystem. With a unique background in Business Administration, Natural Language Processing, and Sociology, she is a recognized expert in shared mobility. Sandra has consulted for major automotive brands like Daimler and has co-authored national strategic reports for the Canadian government on the future of connected, autonomous, and electric transportation.