'Single worst feature in cars' in everything from Fords to Toyotas given the boot overseas

The President of the United States Donald Trump and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin have combined to eliminate the ‘off-cycle credit’ the EPA said was used to implement the start-stop feature in American vehicles. 

An EPA off-cycle credit awards carmakers greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction credits for technologies that improve real-world fuel efficiency but are not fully captured by laboratory-based emissions tests. For example, stop-start systems and active aerodynamics.

The statement said the feature is “almost universally hated”, with the EPA’s final rule eliminating all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines with model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond, “including for what many Americans refer to as the single worst feature in cars - auto start-stop buttons”.

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Announcing the change, Administrator Zeldin said, “As I travelled across all 50 states this past year, I heard from countless Americans who not only dislike the start-stop feature but passionately advocated for this mechanism to be a thing of the past. 

“Not only do many people find start-stop annoying, but it kills the battery of your car without any significant benefit to the environment.

“The Trump EPA is proudly fixing this stupid feature at Trump Speed.

“Automakers should not be forced to adopt or rewarded for technologies that are merely a climate participation trophy with no measurable pollution reductions. Consumer choice is a top priority for the Trump EPA and we are proud to continue delivering commonsense rules for the American people,” he said.

The official EPA announcement stated “about 60 per cent” of new cars have the stop-start feature, and “with the elimination of the off-cycle credits, manufacturers will be incentivized to listen to what Americans actually want in their cars”.

Multiple automotive brands manufacturing cars in the US issued statements in response to the regulation change.

Stellantis said, “We remain supportive of a rational, achievable approach on fuel economy standards that preserves our customers’ freedom of choice.”

A Ford statement said: “We appreciate the work of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin to address the imbalance between current emissions standards and customer choice.”

Hyundai made the point that the EPA's rule changes remove incentives rather than mandating change and said, “Hyundai continues to comply with all applicable emissions regulations and regularly evaluates vehicle technologies based on customer feedback, regulatory requirements, and overall efficiency.”

General Motors, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and others referenced comments from automotive industry group, Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

Alliance President John Bozzella said, “I’ve said it before, automotive emissions regulations finalized in the previous administration are extremely challenging for automakers to achieve given the current marketplace demand for EVs.

“The auto industry in America remains focused on preserving vehicle choice for consumers, keeping the industry competitive, and staying on a long-term path of emissions reductions and cleaner vehicles,” he said.