Should the Government Stop Subsidizing a Car Feature That ‘Everyone Hates'?
If you've ever noticed a gas-powered engine shutting off during a red light, that's the start-stop feature. Its adoption has skyrocketed since 2012, when the Environmental Protection Agency started subsidizing the feature with credits to manufacturers.
Note: The start-stop credit was finalized in a 2012 rule that made the 2014 model year the first year eligible, although older cars were later awarded the credit retroactively.
Source: E.P.A. Automotive Trends Report
The New York Times
But under the Trump administration, the agency is threatening to eliminate those credits. In a post on X, the agency's administrator, Lee Zeldin, said that start-stop technology was just a 'climate participation trophy' for companies, and that 'everyone hates it.'
Though the technology has its skeptics, research says it does effectively cut fuel consumption and emissions. Most studies on start-stop technology show real-world fuel use reductions of 5 to 10 percent, depending on driving patterns. One study found that start-stop begins to save fuel when the engine is off for as little as seven seconds during an idling period.
But if the E.P.A. ends its credits, could it spell doom for the feature? And where would that leave automakers and drivers?
Most of the complaints fall in a few categories. Some skeptics believe that it doesn't really save on gas, or that it adds wear and tear to the engine. Others worry about not having control of the car, or about having the air-conditioning turn off with the engine on hot days.
Note: Data includes credits for all vehicles (internal combustion, hybrid, electric).
Source: E.P.A. Reports
Note: E.P.A. emissions targets often do not take effect for years after being set. Yearly changes in limits are targeted average reductions in CO2 per mile.
Source: E.P.A. Reports
Note: Data based on 2023 model year cars sold in the United States. Calculated percentage represents the percent of non-hybrid and non-electric cars which received the start-stop credit.
E.P.A. Reports
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