It’s the end of an era in Detroit… At Wednesday’s General Motors (GM) shareholders meeting, the company threw its business strategy into reverse gear. GM will chuck its heavy dependence on the truck, and go green instead…giving its alternative hybrid-electric car the go-ahead.

GM and the other big-three Detroit automakers have feasted on the fast-growing market for pickup trucks and SUVs for years. But with gas now above US$4 a gallon and climbing fast, big-rig drivers are mailing their keys back to the auto finance companies today.

I’ve talked to a half-dozen people in just the past few weeks who are ALL trying to unload their big gas-guzzling trucks or SUVs. One friend of mine drives a Chevy Suburban: GM’s top-of-the-line road hog. She’s had it for sale over a month now…No takers. In fact, even the local Chevy dealer won’t take it!

Anyway, back to the GM shareholder meeting…In its quest to stop bleeding red-ink, GM is backing-up its entire business plan. The company is shuttering four U.S. production plants – all of which built trucks or SUVs.

“Higher gasoline prices are changing consumer behavior, and they are significantly affecting the U.S. auto industry sales mix,” says CEO Rick Wagoner. Imagine that!

Now that US$2 gas is gone forever, GM has very high-hopes for its plug-in electric hybrids. GM should have made that switch years ago, rather than being asleep at the wheel and building Hummers instead.

You may not find these battle-ready Hummers on GM car lots much longer – but be sure to look for sleek new plug-ins coming to a dealer near you for the 2010 model year.

MIKE BURNICK, Senior Editor & Global Markets Analyst

EDITOR’S NOTE: The days of $2 a gallon gas may be gone forever. As this crude-reality sinks in, you’ll see a major switch toward hybrid cars, and other alternative energy investments. In fact, it’s already started. Read our special report: How to Profit from the Great Fuel Revolution to find out where this investment money is headed now.

Source: No More Hummers in America – Shocker!