EPA Chief Explains How He'll End Auto Start/Stop Tech

Yahoo

17-05-2025

Read the full story on The Auto Wire
EPA chief Lee Zeldin set the internet ablaze a few days ago when he took to his X social media account to slam auto start/stop systems on cars. While he declared it would be the end of the technology most people cheered. However, a few who actually think the tech is good tried arguing that there's nothing the EPA can do to make it go away.Perhaps sensing this pushback and realizing he needs to clarify what he's going to actually do, Zeldin sat down for an interview on News Nation to spell things out. But first, he made it clear that he, like the majority of Americans, has contempt for the tech and the fact it was foisted upon the public during the Obama administration.
While it's technically true the EPA didn't force automakers to adopt auto start/stop systems in cars, it did incentivize the feature starting in 2012. Today, quite a few newer vehicles have it and most people hate the feature. If you don't, well that's good for you, because most people do.
When pressed on what he's doing about auto start/stop systems, Zeldin explained the EPA is going to yank the off-cycle credit automakers get for putting it into new vehicles.
That's right, he can't ban the use of the system, but Zeldin as head of the EPA can have the incentive for its use, which was created solely by the executive branch of the federal government 13 years ago, done away with.
We don't expect the tech will just completely disappear. There are some people who like it for whatever reason. But we do think automakers know most consumers hate it, so with the incentive to keep it removed, it will largely disappear.
Maybe it will be an optional feature or will be relegated to only certain model lines – we're not sure. But we expect automakers will adjust to the change rapidly, especially as consumers make their wishes well known.
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