Finally, some common sense is returning to Washington — and it’s coming from the most unlikely place: the Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Chief Lee Zeldin just announced that his agency is pulling the plug on one of the most obnoxious “green” gimmicks forced into modern vehicles: start/stop technology. You know, the one where your engine dies at every red light like it’s catching a nap while you wait for a green light? Yeah, that one.
Zeldin didn’t mince words: “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.” That right there is what leadership looks like — calling out useless virtue signaling and getting rid of it instead of doubling down like the last crowd in charge.
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. pic.twitter.com/zFhijMyHDe
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) May 12, 2025
Let’s be real: nobody likes this feature. It’s a classic example of bureaucratic micromanagement in the name of “climate justice.” Sure, it might save a few drops of gas and win some imaginary brownie points with Greta Thunberg, but the average American hates it. It’s annoying, jerky, and, as mechanics will tell you, it doesn’t exactly help your starter motor or battery longevity.
According to Fox Business, the EPA doesn’t officially mandate stop-start tech, but it has been quietly encouraging it by handing out fuel economy credits to automakers that install it. That’s why it’s now in 65% of new vehicles — up from just 1% in 2012. The more annoying your car is to drive, the greener it apparently is.
Environmental groups love to talk about the 4-5% fuel economy gains and the 10 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions it supposedly cuts each year. But here’s a reality check: the people who have to drive these cars aren’t buying it. Most vehicles let you disable the feature, and guess what — drivers do it. Every. Single. Time. That should tell you everything you need to know.
Zeldin and the Trump administration are doing what D.C. forgot how to do years ago: listening to the American people instead of climate cult lobbyists. Killing off start/stop technology isn’t just about comfort — it’s about putting drivers, not bureaucrats, back in the driver’s seat.
Keep your foot on the gas, Lee. America’s drivers are with you.
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