The EPA, under President Trump, is taking aim at start/stop technology in cars—an unpopular feature that shuts engines off at red lights in the name of fuel savings. Administrator Lee Zeldin says it’s time to stop forcing drivers into climate gimmicks no one asked for.
Key Facts:
- The EPA is reevaluating the start/stop feature in modern vehicles, which shuts off the engine when stopped to save fuel.
- Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the effort on X, calling the feature a “climate participation trophy.”
- Currently, automakers are incentivized by the EPA to include the system for fuel economy boosts of 3% to 10%.
- Drivers have long complained about the inconvenience of the system, which must be manually disabled with every trip.
- Car companies like Ford, GM, and Volvo began offering shut-off options after customer backlash in the late 2010s.
The Rest of The Story:
Start/stop technology started in hybrid vehicles in Europe but made its way into the U.S. market as a fuel-saving strategy in most new cars, including trucks and SUVs.
The system turns the engine off at full stops and restarts it when the driver lifts off the brake.
While it improves fuel economy on paper, the tradeoff has been clear: driver frustration and mechanical wear.
As backlash mounted, some automakers began offering a manual shut-off feature between 2017 and 2019.
Buick, for instance, responded to customer feedback by adding a disable button to its 2019 Envision.
Still, the system resets with every drive cycle, forcing drivers to turn it off again every time they start their car.
The EPA’s testing methods penalize vehicles that allow a permanent off switch, leading to artificially lower mileage ratings on those cars’ window stickers.
Zeldin’s announcement signals a shift away from mandates that frustrate consumers for marginal gains in fuel efficiency.
While no detailed policy has been released yet, the direction is clear: let drivers control their vehicles without being boxed in by regulations driven by climate symbolism.
Commentary:
Start/stop technology might have sounded good in a government lab, but out in the real world, it’s been nothing but a nuisance.
Drivers hate it.
Mechanics warn about wear-and-tear.
And yet, for years, bureaucrats pushed it anyway—all in the name of environmental theater.
What we’ve seen here is another classic example of Washington thinking it knows best.
Forcing drivers to deal with their engine cutting off at every red light for a few percentage points in theoretical fuel savings is not innovation.
It’s an annoyance disguised as progress.
Lee Zeldin’s blunt and refreshingly honest message cuts through the typical agency speak.
His willingness to call the feature a “climate participation trophy” shows that this administration isn’t playing along with the old green agenda that left common sense behind.
Most drivers don’t care about hitting a fuel economy benchmark cooked up in a government lab—they care about their cars working the way they’re supposed to.
Every other tech feature in vehicles can usually be turned off and left off.
Why should this one be different?
The answer lies in how the EPA’s own tests are set up.
They discourage permanent shutoff because it hurts a vehicle’s official sticker mileage.
That’s not just bad science—it’s manipulation.
Car buyers deserve honest numbers, not ones designed to serve an agenda.
It’s time to stop penalizing manufacturers who listen to their customers.
It’s time to treat car owners like adults capable of deciding if they want their engine running or not.
Zeldin’s move could finally bring back control to the driver’s seat.
Let’s hope this change happens fast—and sets the tone for other pointless mandates to be rolled back.
The Bottom Line:
President Trump’s EPA is moving to rein in a widely disliked car feature that shut engines off at every stop, all for minor fuel savings.
Administrator Lee Zeldin says the agency is done with empty climate gestures that irritate drivers.
The response from the public has been overwhelmingly supportive, signaling that this is a reform long overdue.
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