GM will look to plug-in hybrids and other fuel efficient vehicles to turn around the company's sagging fortunes, according to Bloomberg (via the Detroit News). GM's support could be the biggest indication that the auto industry as a whole realizes that the vehicles are popular (in theory) with consumers. 
GM for years focused most of its research dollars on fuel cell vehicles as the potential pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (an equally attainable goal), but now it appears that hybrids will become more central to GM's plans.
Also on the bandwagon is Kia, which showed off a biodiesel plug-in hybrid concept car in LA this week (perEdmunds). And another utility, Canadian company Veridian, wants people to use their electricity to power their vehicles, and the company ordered a converted Prius plug-in.
But one auto exec says most people don't care about their oil consumption or their emissions.
"Most people want horsepower. They don't want fuel economy." Those words surprisingly came from Bill Reinert of Toyota, the leader in hybrids, according to the Scientific American.
While many who visit this blog agree with that statement, popular opinion is shifting, and if caring about fuel economy isn't the majority opinion now, it will be as soon as oil prices go even higher thanks to greater demand from China and India.
(For continuing coverage of plug-in hybrids, gohere.)
