Actually, what we really need is a steady 7% a year rise in prices for the next twenty years. And for people to realise that it is happening, and expect it to continue - an "oil inflation" environment. People might make different decisions when buying (or designing) a car if they thought of the price they were likely to pay at the pump ten years down the track.

If we are to believe in things we cannot see or touch, how do we tell the true belief from the false belief?

Actually, what we really need is a steady 7% a year rise in prices for the next twenty years.

Actually, that started already 5 years ago. Remember oil was 25$ / barrel?