The only short term solution is using natural gas for transportation. This takes the pressure off of drilling for oil and would for the most part eliminate the reliance on foreign oil and the transfer of wealth issues it brings us.
This transition has started. Many major cities like Los Angeles are already on natural gas powered vehicles. There are hardware companies that sell conversion kits to convert conventional cars right now (FSYS) and another company that has the distribution and filling station issues solved (CLNE). If you have natural gas piped into your home the equipment to convert your car and fill up at home from your gas utility exists right now.
Cars can run on propane or natural gas. Any hardware store has propane. The logistics of putting in a liquid natural gas pumping island in a present gas station are not difficult.
And the country has a known 200 year supply of natural gas already available to be drilled and piped and there is plenty more to be discovered in the West where the Feds own 50% of the land and don't allow much exploration.
Natural gas burns much cleaner than oil fuels.
So we:
--improve the environment with natural gas vehicles.
--reduce or eliminate foreign oil.
--stop the balance of payments drain that puts a huge burden on our deficits.
--no longer fund our enemies.
--energy purchases stay within our borders funding our economies.
--it exists now and can be combined with hybrids.
--it leaves the U.S. energy independant.
The cities are doing it now and the suburban areas should be next. It will be one of the major growth industries in the next 20 years. This is the only practical known technology with the resource available domestically that can offer a transition plan.