The administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency has revealed that fuel-saving stop-start systems are in the crosshairs.
The technology in many new cars that automatically turns off the engine when stopped to save fuel could be outlawed in the United States.
Lee Zeldin, the new administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Donald Trump, has targeted start-stop technology in a post on social media platform, 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.” The post said.
Zeldin didn’t elaborate further on what the proposed ‘fix’ might be, or what changes the EPA might enact – but one possibility is that the technology could be banned entirely.
Start-stop systems, which shut a car’s engine down when stopped and automatically restart the engine when a driver moves off, aren’t mandatory in the United States, however, the tech can be used to gain carbon credits and help auto giants avoid penalties for not meeting emissions rules.
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Start-stop systems have been shown to effectively reduce fuel consumption in urban settings where cars are likely to spend extended periods at idle, stopped at intersections or in heavy traffic.
In open-road driving, or in less busy streets, the benefits of start-stop technology are less impactful.
The technology has also faced scrutiny from vehicle owners who have criticised the technology for being slow to restart, or for creating an uncomfortable cabin in warmer regions, as the air conditioning switches off when the engine does.
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Replies to the post were mixed with varied reactions, including “Yes!! I can verify, as a car salesman, nearly everybody hates it,” from one user, while another responded, “Huh, I actually like saving gas. Guess I’m just weird like that.”
Zeldin’s X post comes amid a wider push for deregulation from the EPA.
In an official press release titled ‘The Great American Comeback’ in March 2025, the EPA chief has outlined that electric vehicle mandates, air quality standards, and greenhouse gas emissions reporting would all be scaled back, alongside other environmental tracking and regulations.
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