Actually, the technology for greener cars (electric, hybrids, hydrogen cars) was all there – I was working with Friends of the Earth as an intern 11 years ago, with an energy expert who said that basically the technology was there and the research had matured but frankly, there wasn’t any incentive to go further with this. Given the close connection of the automobile industry with the oil companies, the guys I was working with predicted that there basically wouldn’t be much of a change until our oil ran out and got too pricy… and then they’d switch/work on to something they’ve known about for a decade.
(The hydrogen car, for example, is really great—the by-product is water.
However, because of the explosive nature of hydrogen, it needs to be stored well; which means changing the infrastructure – how to make it safe and available at gas stations?)
Anyway, with the energy crisis around teh corner and gas becoming increasingly expensive, I expect that there;ll be economic incentive to switch now.
And maybe, just maybe, America could develop better mass transit!!