Feb. 25, 2008 - General Motors turned last night's Academy Awards into a showcase for its line of hybrid SUVs, ferrying about 75 Hollywood stars to the ceremony in ethanol-, hybrid- , or fuel cell-powered vehicles, Reuters reports. The maker of the hybrid Chevy Tahoe - named 2007's "Green Car of the Year" - is hoping the high-profile event will help boost its green reputation in a town known for devotion to the Toyota Prius.

"It has been such a Toyota top-sided story until now," according to GM spokeswoman Christi Conti. "There's never at any awards show been a fleet of fuel cell vehicles."

Critics say the Prius, which gets up to 45 miles per gallon, is still top dog when it comes to fuel efficiency, pointing out that the Chevy Tahoe gets less than half that mileage.

"It is clear GM is capitalizing on our work the last five years to get stars in green cars," says Matt Petersen, president of Global Green USA, whose Red Carpet/Green Cars campaign aims to popularize greener vehicles among Hollywood's elite.

Global Green's program appears to be working; many stars are eschewing corporate offers of transportation to the Academy Awards in favor of limousine services that employ green fleets.