The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to “fix” a feature on vehicles that is unpopular among American consumers.
“Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin wrote on X. “EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it.”
According to a 2024 report from Consumer Reports, the start/stop feature in vehicles can save between 7.27 and 26.4% in fuel use.
Alex Knizek the associate director of auto test development at Consumer Reports, said in the report that if “you’re constantly on the highway and the engine never shuts off, the fuel savings is going to be much lower.”
“But if you’re doing a lot of city driving with frequent idling, there is a legitimate reduction in fuel use with start/stop technology,” Knizek stated, adding that there is “sometimes a misconception that these systems are bad for the engine or starter so some drivers disable the functionality.” The report noted that like any other car feature, there is a possibility that the system will require maintenance or repair.
“Some people just think these systems are annoying, and reach for the system’s off button as soon as they start the car,” Knizek noted.
The EPA’s website states that an average passenger vehicle emits an estimated 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. “This assumes the average gasoline vehicle on the road today has a fuel economy of about 22.2 miles per gallon and drives around 11,500 miles per year,” the site explains. “Every gallon of gasoline burned creates about 8,887 grams of CO2.”
