Obama’s ANNOYING Engine Trap DESTROYED by Trump

A red stop sign with the words STOP and ALL WAY in a residential area

President Trump’s administration just eliminated the EPA credits forcing automakers to install the universally despised start-stop engine technology, promising to slash new vehicle prices by $2,400 per car while ending an Obama-era regulatory scheme that enriched manufacturers at the expense of frustrated American drivers.

Story Highlights

Trump administration rescinded EPA’s 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding, eliminating credits for start-stop technology that automatically shuts off engines at red lights
White House projects $2,400 reduction in new vehicle costs and $1.3 trillion in total savings for American families from broader regulatory rollback
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin declared “no more climate participation trophies” as the administration ends forced compliance with fuel-saving features drivers overwhelmingly hate
Start-stop systems became standard in most vehicles due to Obama-era CAFE standards, costing consumers thousands while offering only temporary disable options

Trump Strikes Down Another Obama-Era Mandate

President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin formalized the rescission of greenhouse gas regulations at a White House ceremony Thursday, specifically targeting the credit system that incentivized start-stop technology in new vehicles. The feature automatically shuts off gas engines when vehicles idle at traffic lights or in stop-and-go traffic, a mechanism drivers have consistently complained about since its widespread adoption. Zeldin’s sharp rebuke—”No more climate participation trophies… It’s over”—captured the administration’s broader rejection of Obama-Biden environmental overreach that forced unwanted technology onto consumers while driving up vehicle costs.

The start-stop system spread throughout the automotive industry following the EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding, which classified greenhouse gas emissions as pollutants and created Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards requiring fuel-saving features. Automakers received regulatory credits for installing the technology, costs they passed directly to consumers through higher sticker prices. While drivers could disable the feature each trip, manufacturers provided no permanent off switch, forcing millions of Americans to repeatedly override the system they never requested. This regulatory scheme exemplifies the heavy-handed climate agenda that prioritized bureaucratic goals over consumer choice and affordability.

Real Savings for American Families

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previewed the announcement Tuesday, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to reducing costs and expanding manufacturing jobs. The $2,400 per-vehicle savings stems from eliminating the regulatory credits that artificially inflated compliance costs, which automakers embedded in purchase prices. Former Trump EPA Chief of Staff Mandy Gunasekara broke down the numbers, explaining that the broader $1.3 trillion savings includes $1.1 trillion from other vehicle-related regulatory cuts plus the start-stop credit elimination. These aren’t abstract policy changes—they represent tangible relief for working families already struggling with inflation inherited from Biden-era fiscal mismanagement and green energy obsessions.

The move restores common sense to vehicle regulations by letting market demand, not government mandates, determine which features automakers include. Climate skeptic Myron Ebell praised the decision as a top “energy sanity” step, recognizing that Americans want reliable, affordable transportation without bureaucrats dictating every aspect of engine operation. Automakers now face lower compliance costs without losing the ability to offer fuel-saving technology for consumers who actually want it. This deregulatory approach respects individual liberty and market forces rather than forcing one-size-fits-all solutions through regulatory coercion that benefits neither manufacturers nor drivers.

Pushback from the Climate Lobby

Environmental groups immediately attacked the rescission as undermining climate policy, while Consumer Reports defended the existing standards by claiming drivers save thousands in fuel costs over a vehicle’s lifetime despite higher upfront prices. These objections ignore the fundamental problem: consumers were never given a genuine choice. The Obama-era system forced expensive technology through regulatory mandates rather than letting buyers weigh costs and benefits themselves. Critics defending the endangerment finding conveniently overlook how these rules inflated vehicle prices during an affordability crisis, pricing many Americans out of new car purchases entirely while enriching manufacturers through compliance credits.

The Trump administration’s action corrects years of regulatory excess that treated American drivers as obstacles to bureaucratic climate goals rather than customers deserving respect and choice. By eliminating the credit system, the EPA returns automakers to genuine competition based on value and performance instead of gaming regulatory schemes. Whether start-stop technology survives in the marketplace without government subsidies will depend on consumer demand—exactly as it should in a free economy. This victory for common sense and affordability demonstrates how deregulation can simultaneously reduce costs, restore freedom, and end the absurdity of unelected bureaucrats dictating which features belong in Americans’ vehicles.