What Does the EPA’s Repeal of Previous Emission Standards Mean for Consumers?
The EPA and its administrator Lee Zeldin announced a broad rollback of previous federal emissions regulations Thursday, Feb. 12. In an aggressively worded press release, the agency announced it was repealing the greenhouse-gas emissions standard that was enacted in accordance with the Obama administration’s 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding. This policy change includes the elimination of the EPA’s off-cycle credits — regulatory incentives that allowed automakers to meet emissions standards by implementing efficiency-improving technology features like engine stop-start systems and active grille shutters.
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The release says these rollbacks are aimed at improving vehicle affordability and choice for consumers and lowering regulatory costs for automakers. It claims the changes will result in an average cost savings of over $2,400 per vehicle and an expected total savings of $1.3 trillion, but it did not provide detail on those calculations beyond noting reduced new-vehicle costs and the avoided costs of purchasing electric-vehicle-related equipment.
Is Stop-Start Tech on the Way Out?
It’s unclear at this point how quickly or broadly American consumers will notice a change in the new vehicles they can buy as a result of the EPA’s shift, but it’s likely that engine stop-start technology will be phased out of some new vehicles in the near future.
Based on our analysis of Cars.com data, the percentage of new vehicles that come standard with stop-start technology rose about 9% over the last five model years, from about 65% in model-year 2022 vehicles to around 74% in 2026 models. We expect to see that number begin dropping as early as the 2027 model year.
On most current vehicles that allow the driver to deactivate the stop-start feature, the system reactivates when the vehicle is turned off and restarted. At the least, it’s probable that future vehicles retaining stop-start technology will allow the driver to turn the feature off and have it stay off when the vehicle is restarted.
There’s no question that many consumers dislike stop-start systems, especially those that can’t easily be turned off. The EPA’s press release states the feature is “almost universally hated” and claims that stop-start systems deliver “questionable emission reductions.” However, a recent SAE Mobilus study showed fuel-economy improvements of 7.27% on the Federal Test Procedure city fuel-economy test and 26.4% for the EPA New York City Cycle test.
We also have a recent single-case study courtesy of our Editorial staff. Cars.com Managing Editor Joe Bruzek kept track of the long-term fuel-economy stats of his wife’s 2022 Subaru Forester via the vehicle’s lifetime trip computer and found that over 19,804 miles, the stop-start feature saved 5.321 gallons of gasoline over 10 hours, 25 minutes of preventing idling. It’s worth noting that those miles consisted almost entirely of highway driving; a higher percentage of city driving, where the stop-start function would have engaged more frequently, would have saved more fuel. It still would have been a drop in the bucket over approximately two years of driving (given an annual average of 10,000 miles), but expand those savings over hundreds of thousands of new vehicles and they add up.
Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, provided additional perspective in an email to Cars.com:
“While many stop-start systems are intrusive and annoying, they do provide some fuel and emissions savings. Even if the system increases fuel economy by just 7%, the lower range of SAE’s testing, that adds about 2 mpg and removes about 20 grams of carbon dioxide per mile. New vehicles today in the U.S. produce about 1% of many measured pollutants as their counterparts did in 1970. Every additional improvement, including stop-start systems, chips away at the remaining greenhouse gases and other particulates, cleaning the air and reducing the need for petroleum.”
Will Automakers Shift Course?
It doesn’t appear that car companies will be making significant product changes right away. Cars.com asked several automakers for comments, and a few provided prepared statements that indicated they were still in the process of assessing the changes.
A Hyundai spokeswoman stated, “Start‑stop technology has never been federally mandated, and the EPA’s recent action removes regulatory incentives associated with it rather than prohibiting its use. Hyundai continues to comply with all applicable emissions regulations and regularly evaluates vehicle technologies based on customer feedback, regulatory requirements and overall efficiency. At this time, we will continue to assess future developments as regulations evolve.”
A Volvo Cars spokesperson said the brand is “reviewing recent EPA rule changes to understand their full impact” but also indicated the company is maintaining its previously stated strategy. “Volvo Cars seeks to become a fully electric car company and aims to reach net zero greenhouse gas by 2040. Volvo Cars believes regulatory consistency, and a clear federal framework are necessary to effectively and efficiently enable the auto industry to develop advanced technology vehicles.”
A Ford spokesperson provided a statement that indicated support of the regulatory change: “We appreciate the work of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin to address the imbalance between current emissions standards and customer choice. Ford has consistently advocated for a single, stable national standard that aligns with customer choice, the market, societal benefit and American job growth.”
A Toyota spokesman did not provide a separate comment but referred to a statement from John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation:
“Today’s action is consistent with [the] EPA’s earlier announcement that it intended to repeal the endangerment finding and correct some of the unachievable criteria pollutant regulations enacted under the previous administration.
“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 country’s industry competitive and staying on a long-term path of emissions reductions and cleaner vehicles.”
Fiorani stated that stop-start systems can be removed fairly quickly, but that many auto manufacturers will be hedging their bets:
“Though integrated in modern powertrains, the removal of stop/start systems won’t take long and manufacturers will see the short-term gains in costs, but it is unlikely to show up as a substantial savings in the price of a new vehicle. To remain globally competitive, many automakers will keep the hardware and software in their vehicles. Eventually, the pendulum of American emissions regulations will swing back and manufacturers who have not kept up with the technologies will find themselves behind the global industry.”
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