EPA ends credits for automatic start-stop vehicle ignition, a feature Zeldin says ‘everyone hates’

EPA Scraps Credits for Auto Start-Stop Systems, Calling Feature “Universally Hated”

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it will eliminate credits for automakers who install automatic start-stop ignition systems in their vehicles, a technology that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described as “universally despised” by American drivers.

During a White House event with President Donald Trump, Zeldin referred to start-stop technology as the “Obama switch” and claimed it causes vehicles to “die” at every traffic stop. “The credits are now over, done, finished,” Zeldin declared, adding that the incentives had also applied to other efficiency features like improved air conditioning systems.

The technology, which automatically shuts down a vehicle’s engine when at a complete stop and restarts it when the driver releases the brake pedal, was developed in response to the 1970s oil crisis. It aimed to reduce vehicle idling, fuel consumption, and harmful emissions. According to the Society of Automotive Engineers, start-stop systems can provide between 7% and 26% improvements in fuel economy.

Despite these efficiency gains, Zeldin repeated widely disputed claims that the systems harm vehicles, asserting they “kill the battery of your car without any significant benefit to the environment.” This contradicts industry research on the technology’s environmental impact.

The move aligns with the Trump administration’s broader rollback of automotive environmental regulations. It comes alongside a more sweeping announcement that the administration is repealing the “endangerment finding,” the scientific determination that has served as the legal foundation for regulating greenhouse gas emissions in the United States since 2009.

Transportation represents a significant source of climate-changing emissions, with gasoline and diesel vehicles producing carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases. Start-stop technology had allowed manufacturers to earn credits toward meeting federal emissions standards.

Zeldin previewed the announcement on social media earlier in the week, writing: “Countless Americans passionately despise the start/stop feature in cars. So many have spoken out against this absurd start-stop-start-stop-start-stop concept.” He had previously characterized the feature as one “where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy.”

Currently, about two-thirds of vehicles come equipped with start-stop technology. While providing environmental benefits, the systems do create a brief lag in acceleration when restarting—a characteristic that has sparked complaints from some consumers and automotive enthusiasts.

Major automakers have responded positively to the regulatory change. A spokesperson for Stellantis, maker of Jeep vehicles, stated: “We remain supportive of a rational, achievable approach on fuel economy standards that preserves our customers’ freedom of choice.” Ford Motor Co. similarly expressed appreciation for addressing “the imbalance between current emissions standards and customer choice.”

General Motors directed inquiries to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, whose president John Bozzella remarked: “Automotive emissions regulations finalized in the previous administration are extremely challenging for automakers to achieve given the current marketplace demand for EVs.”

This latest deregulatory effort continues the administration’s systematic dismantling of cleaner-vehicle initiatives. The president has already eliminated the Biden administration’s target for half of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030 and signed legislation ending federal tax credits for electric vehicle purchases. The administration is also working to weaken requirements for vehicle fuel efficiency standards.

Environmental advocates argue these rollbacks represent a significant setback to climate protection efforts, while supporters maintain they protect consumer choice and reduce regulatory burdens on manufacturers during a challenging transition period for the automotive industry.