EVs and hybrids: A bandaide for American denial?

Could it really be so simple?

Last night I watched a PBS program about the Velib, which essentially means freedom bike. In Paris, one can quite easily rent a bicycle to go from their subway stop to their job, the store, etc. Bike sharing is becoming Parisian for cool.

Moreover, cities such as Paris and London, are taking road space and converting it into public space - for walking, biking or some kind of public transportation space.

Yet, here in America, everything is about cake-eating. We don't want real change. Somehow the American Dream has come to mean irresponsibility.

We want the same auto culture as today, except in the future we'll plug-in our car and suck up as much coal as we can consume. Moreover, we're relying on a dying auto industry to somehow immediately start converting the entire US fleet into EVs - something which would take about 12 years if only EVs were produced today.

Obviously, many Americans will need cars for many years, and a move to hybrid cars and EVs is essential and important, but aren't even more innovative solutions required? Perhaps, even more simple solutions?