Trump Admin EPA Chief to Ax ‘Climate Participation Trophy’ Feature on Cars That ‘Everyone Hates’
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under Administrator Lee Zeldin, announced the termination of a program that provided incentives to automakers for incorporating start/stop technology in vehicles. This technology automatically shuts down the engine when a car comes to a complete stop, wich was designed to reduce emissions. However, the EPA noted that there has been no clear evidence of meaningful emission reductions from its implementation. despite being present in 65% of new vehicles, Zeldin indicated that the technology is widely disliked, citing issues such as engine stalling at red lights and additional safety concerns.Critics argue that the feature is inefficient, causing delays at lights and potentially increasing fuel consumption. With the discontinuation of the program, while the EPA cannot prevent manufacturers from including this technology, it will stop offering fuel economy credits for its use.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the federal government is pulling the plug on a program that handed out incentives to automakers who install start/stop technology in their vehicles.
The technology shuts off an engine when a car comes to a full stop. As noted by Newsweek, it arrived on the American scene during the Obama administration.
The EPA does not require the technology, but carmakers who use it get extra fuel economy credits, according to Fox Business.
Not anymore, Zeldin posted on X.
Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy. EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it. pic.twitter.com/zFhijMyHDe
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) May 12, 2025
“Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy. EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it,” he wrote.
Although the idea was that turning off the engine at a red light would mean a reduction in emissions, an EPA spokesperson said the concept has not shown clear reductions in emissions, according to the New York Post.
The feature was on 65 percent of new vehicles made as of 2023. Although the EPA cannot block automakers from adding the feature, it can stop giving them fuel economy credits for doing so.
Yes!! I can verify, as a car salesman, nearly everybody hates it.
From personal testing, for most it doesn’t save much anyway. 900 miles in a month, 0.02 gal saved.
Also, it’s unsafe (e.g. stalling out briefly in the center lane as you’re about to make a left turn.)
— LITizen Jeff 🇺🇲🚜👨👩👧👦🥋 (@LITizenJeff) May 12, 2025
Writing on the AutoWire, Steven Symes praised Zeldin’s decision.
“On the annoyance side of things, some cars don’t start up quickly. That means when you take your foot off the brake once a red light turns green, it takes a couple of seconds or longer for the engine to spring back to life,” Symes wrote.
“In the meantime, cars behind you are honking thinking you’re just not paying attention. Ironically, that delay could mean fewer vehicles get through the light, increasing their fuel consumption.”
“This is in part why we think the tech doesn’t do what’s claimed, especially by engineers who don’t seem to understand how the real world operates,” he continued.
Bless you, @LeeMZeldin. Auto stop-start in a Southern summer is basically attempted manslaughter by climate control. Let the engine run and the AC blow; our lives depend on it!
— Darren Montgomery (@DarrenM11) May 13, 2025
“There are panic situations too where the engine might not be running and ready, keeping drivers from getting out of danger.”
“On modern vehicles, turning off the system has to be done every time you get inside and in many of them it requires pressing two buttons,” he wrote.
Please do. It breaks cars. Our Honda would stall and not start leaving us in vulnerable situations. Also, it makes cars hesitate when you are pulling out across traffic. It’s dangerous
— Matt Nachtrab (@MattNachtrab) May 12, 2025
“We say good riddance to this requirement from the EPA and hail this move by Zeldin as downright heroic.”
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