I’m not recommending that anyone drive one of these or argue that we should not drill.
We are not completely screwed. I think American technology can pull us through. In real energy terms, a car is about 10% efficient and a semi is about 15%. Within the next 5 years, we will see power plant/drive train systems that are 50% efficient. That means real full-sized cars should get more than 100 mpg with econoboxes getting over 300 mpg and simi trucks should get about 18 mpg. The decreased demand will kill the oil industry for years.
Every thing is a cycle. Boom and bust.
The only way you’re going to get that kind of efficiency is to go with vehicles so light you can literally lift one end off the ground. And the wheels will have to start resembling wagon wheels...very tall, very skinny, and almost no rubber...and the car will have to be shaped like a raindrop, or a chicken egg.