The EPA plans to curtail the use of start-stop technology in cars, citing widespread driver dissatisfaction.
Start-stop systems, found in 65% of U.S. cars, have failed to demonstrate significant emissions cuts, according to the EPA.
The agency’s decision to reassess off-cycle credits marks a reevaluation of green incentives under Lee Zeldin’s leadership.
The EPA is moving to curtail a common, yet often disliked, fuel-saving feature in new cars.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency’s plan to “fix” automotive start-stop technology, a system he said “everyone hates.” The action moves closer towards eliminating federal “off-cycle credits” that spurred its widespread adoption, and reflecting a change in sentiment and wider re-evaluation of established green incentives.
Driver frustration: Zeldin described the technology on X as one “where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy”. Frequent complaints detail sluggish acceleration from a standstill, interrupted air conditioning, and the irritation of manually deactivating the feature each time the car starts, according to several auto news outlets.
Incentives re-evaluated: Start-stop technology, though not mandated, became a fixture in reportedly 65% of U.S. vehicles by 2023. Automakers gained EPA off-cycle credits, which aided compliance with overall fuel economy targets. The EPA’s “fix” involves reassessing these credits; an agency spokesperson recently informed Fox Business the systems have failed to demonstrate clear emissions cuts in official tests.
Benefit questions: The technology originally gained favor for its environmental contributions, with past EPA figures suggesting a 4 to 5% fuel economy improvement, and the Battery Council International asserted it cut nearly 10 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions yearly as of 2023. The EPA’s current posture, however, suggests a reduced priority for such incremental technologies if their real-world advantages and test backing prove inadequate.
Policy roots: Off-cycle credits for features like start-stop emerged under the Obama administration, designed to promote technologies offering fuel savings not fully measured in standard lab tests. The mechanism for crediting such systems was proposed in 2012, with broader use taking hold around 2017 when fuel economy rules stiffened. Now, the discussion turns on whether these incentives have served their purpose or if their removal risks broader emission reduction efforts.
Future steps vague: The EPA has not yet published a detailed plan specifying how or when it will phase out start-stop incentives, leaving car manufacturers and environmental advocates anticipating more definite information. The decision prompts questions about the viability of other off-cycle credits and how the administration will weigh driver complaints against climate goals for the auto industry.
