EPA’s Start/Stop Reversal: A Win for Liberty

Photo by Kevin Bhagat on Unsplash

As a conservative, I despise the nanny state’s meddling in my daily life, especially when it comes to driving. So, the news that the EPA, under Administrator Lee Zeldin, plans to scrap incentives for automatic start/stop technology in cars is music to my ears. Every time I start my wife’s vehicle, I disable this annoying feature—a small act of defiance against bureaucratic overreach. This rollback is a victory for individual freedom and common sense.

Start/stop tech, which shuts off the engine at stoplights and restarts it when you ease off the brake, became widespread due to EPA fuel economy credits from the Obama era. By 2023, about 65% of new cars had it. The promise was fuel savings and lower emissions, but the reality is a clunky system that disrupts driving. I hate the engine’s constant cycling, and studies show meager benefits—3-10% fuel savings at best. Worse, it can strain components, hiking repair costs, and the restart lag poses safety risks in emergencies. I’ve felt that hesitation, and it’s unsettling.

On May 12, 2025, Zeldin called start/stop a “climate participation trophy” nobody likes and promised to “fix” it. The EPA will likely end fuel economy credits, letting the market decide the feature’s fate. This aligns with libertarian values: consumers, not regulators, should dictate what’s in our cars. Automakers must now justify start/stop to buyers, not lean on government handouts.

Disabling start/stop is my ritual, and I’m not alone. Social media cheered Zeldin’s move, with drivers mocking the feature as “the paper straw of the road.” Its default “on” setting feels like a government nudge, assuming we can’t think for ourselves.

This reversal is a step toward dismantling intrusive regulations. It’s not just about start/stop—it’s about rejecting the idea that bureaucrats should control our vehicles and choices. Here’s to more wins for freedom.