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Should the Government Stop Subsidizing a Car Feature That ‘Everyone Hates’?
The E.P.A. under Trump is moving to eliminate credits to carmakers for the fuel-saving start-stop function.
The auto start-stop feature turns off the engine while stopped at a red light.BMW USA
Would you be willing to pay more for gas if your car could be a little less annoying?
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.
Percent of internal combustion cars with start-stop technology
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. Moststudies 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?
Just how annoying is start-stop?
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.
Off-cycle credits for all cars
Feature
Percent adopted
Example
Infrared Glass Glazing
90%
Coatings on the glass surface reduce heat to the cabin
High Efficiency Lighting
89%
LED headlights
Active Aerodynamics
60%
Grill shutters that change shape at high speed to reduce drag
Active Engine Warm-Up
51%
System that passes heat from vehicle to heat up engine
Active Seat Ventilation
20%
System that moves air through seating surface to cool passengers
Solar Coating
14%
Paint coating reflects heat to keep cabin cool
Emission reduction targets change with every administration
Administration
CO2 emissions standards
Obama
5% reduction per year
Trump (1st term)
1.5% reduction per year
Biden
8.5% reduction per year
Trump (2nd term)
No rule change proposed yet
Percent of internal combustion cars receiving the start-stop credit
Manufacturer
Percentage
Volkswagen
95%
BMW
91%
General Motors
91%
Honda
88%
Mercedes
76%
Subaru
76%
Ford
69%
Stellantis
69%
Kia
62%
Hyundai
45%
Nissan
44%
Toyota
36%
Mazda
5%
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