Automotive
Transportation Secretary Duffy claims EPA eliminated auto start-stop systems in new vehicles
Regulatory records show the agency rescinded an emissions credit rather than banning the fuel-saving feature.
The short version
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated in a Michigan speech that EPA Director Lee Zeldin eliminated vehicle auto start-stop features and that cars without the system are currently being manufactured.
- The EPA removed an off-cycle regulatory credit for auto start-stop technology earlier in the year rather than mandating the feature's removal.
- Major automakers have not indicated plans to eliminate start-stop systems from their production lines following the regulatory change.
Key facts
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced during a speech in Sterling Heights, Michigan, that EPA Director Lee Zeldin had removed auto start-stop technology from new cars.[Jalopnik]
- The EPA rescinded an off-cycle emissions credit for auto start-stop technology in February, but the agency never legally required manufacturers to install or remove the systems.[Jalopnik]
- Automakers responding to inquiries reported no active plans or immediate steps to drop auto start-stop functionality from their vehicle lineups.[Jalopnik]
- Duffy also stated the administration is moving to ease fuel economy rules, replacing earlier targets of 50 mpg by 2031 with proposed targets of 34.5 mpg.[Jalopnik]
What remains uncertain
- Whether any specific automakers have independently decided to alter production configurations to remove auto start-stop technology remains unconfirmed, as the Department of Transportation did not clarify Duffy's comments.[Jalopnik]