[Some hope remaining.]

Nowhere in this article do I see the other critical requirement about getting up to 88 miles per hour first.

[El Gato]

Nowhere in this article do I see the other critical requirement about getting up to 88 miles per hour first.

You must learn to pay more attention. The 88 mph requirement was on the flux capacitors ability to tranport the DeLorean in time. It had nothing to do with the Mr. Fusion power source, as shown by the need to get up to 88 mph, when using the lightning bolt as a power source.

I have often wondered though why Doc Brown didn't just wind an electric motor to power the DeLorean and tap into the Mr. Fusion to run it, or failing that a steam engine powered by the Mr. Fusion. But that doesn't keep me from enjoying the film.