150 mpg car?

[artdutra04]

They had an indepth article on this guy in the Hartford Courant a year or two ago. The most intriguing thing I thought of was his manual override "clutch" for the hybrid system.

And while the computers in current technology are powerful and be able to perform very well, they still do not have nearly the same level of intelligence as humans have. I can easily see how having manual control of the hybrid threshold can easily boost gas mileage, just as how one can get better gas mileage via a manual transmission than an automatic.

I'm more skeptical of the fifth wheel, but I guess if one really does not want to start major modifications and a redesign of the chassis and powertrain, then I guess it's a decent compromise.

Which brings me back to always wondering why Detroit always insists on fighting new emission and environmental standards with lawyers instead of engineers...