Should EVs Have Start/Stop Buttons?

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To many readers, what I’m about to get into might sound bizarre. After all, EVs often copy (at least in part) things that Tesla pioneered. So, why would anyone want an EV with an unnecessary start/stop button? But, for me, it’s not that simple.

I’ve driven some Teslas, but I’ve never owned one. At first, they were out of my budget, and later, when they became affordable, the most affordable models weren’t appealing to me. Elon’s authoritarian conservative politics aside, I really just wasn’t a fan of the overly simplified interiors. Don’t take it personally, as I have nothing against people who like Tesla interiors, but they’re just not for me.

I’ve thought about the things I’d miss in a newer Tesla. Things like a turn signal stalk, shifter controls, gauge cluster display, and HVAC control buttons just don’t seem like necessary deletions. If anything, weird stuff like touchscreen-controlled vents and power door handles actually add electromechanical complexity to cars instead of following Elon’s stated philosophy of “the best part is no part.”

So, in the end, the minimalist philosophy of Tesla really seems to be more about aesthetics than function. Again, if that’s your cup of tea, go for it, but I’ll be drinking something else. I don’t want my car to look like the interior of the space shuttle, but I’d like it to have a few buttons to go with touchscreens.

But, one thing I hadn’t really thought about in all of this was the start/stop button. For me, every EV I’ve owned (two Nissan LEAFs, a Chevy Volt, and a Bolt EUV) had a button you’d press to activate the drive systems before you go. So, it didn’t really even occur to me that some EVs didn’t have them.

I recently came across some social media posts that castigated a new EV from one of the other automakers for having a “primitive” and “unnecessary” button. My knee-jerk reaction is that a car really should have one, but I wanted to think things over first instead of taking my default position.

Cons of the Start/Stop Button

To be fair, I’ll start with the cons. I’m biased in favor of buttons, after all.

The biggest obvious issue is that it slows you down. Getting into a car that energizes the EV system by itself when you hit the brake pedal is fast and convenient. There’s no need to hit the button and wait for the computer to let you put the vehicle in D or R.

The other issue is extra parts. EVs already have a computer, but adding a circuit and a button to close that circuit to signal to the computer that you’d like to get the vehicle mobilized all cost something. There’s also a non-zero chance of that circuit or the button failing. So, the extra complexity does come at a cost to all involved, even if it’s small.

A less important issue is aesthetics, but aesthetics matter a lot to vehicle buyers. A button interrupts otherwise clean lines, takes up dash space, and otherwise must be accommodated. I don’t personally care about this issue, but maybe you do.

Finally, it’s a holdover from the ICE age in some ways. EVs don’t have a starter, so there’s nothing to start, right? So, it stands to reason that the concept of “starting” a car doesn’t really apply to EVs. So, this thinking goes, it’s time to get people to move on and embrace the brave new world of EVs instead of pretending to still have an ICE vehicle.

Pros of the Start/Stop Button

On the other hand, there are some downsides to getting rid of the button.

First off, it’s familiar to people switching from an ICE vehicle. Obviously, we need to get as many people to switch as possible, so anything that aids a shopper in feeling comfortable is a good thing. We can’t be so busy serving the early adopter class that we hinder the next wave of mainstream buyers. So, we can’t let early adopters who’ve acclimated to Tesla’s different way of doing things push us into making EVs too alien.

The button also provides some certainty about the vehicle’s state. If it’s on, it’s on. If it’s off, it’s off. There’s no need to worry about whether the vehicle might start driving while a kid or a dog is climbing around inside or something. Even worse, the issue of being unsure whether a vehicle is disabled has led to emergency personnel needing to buy immobilizer plugs to ensure that the car is actually off after an accident. So, the uncertain state of an EV isn’t a hypothetical issue.

While there’s no starter, the Start/Stop button does activate an important EV system: the contactors. Before an EV is on, the battery pack’s contactors are in an open state, so there’s no high voltage on the wires in the vehicle. When you turn it on, the contactors close, completing the circuits and putting high voltage onto the thick cables that feed the drive unit. This gives the driver control over a critical system and allows us to more easily disable the system for safety after an accident.

So, there are some important safety issues at play here and not just a pathetic need to cling to the past.

It’s Not As Easy As “Yes” or “No” Here

It’s really a matter of taste at the end of the day.

I’m not about to say that every EV needs to have a mandatory button. I despise safety Karens, and I’m not going to be one of those ladies. Given that Tesla and some other manufacturers have done millions of EVs without a button already, that horse has already left the gate and is a good bit of the way around the track by now. The safety issues already must be addressed by emergency responders, and they’re being addressed.

But, I also don’t think it’s wise to pressure automakers into eliminating buttons, either. Manufacturers who want to cater to a more cutting edge audience can skip that, while manufacturers trying to pull in their ICE customers and old fogey types like me can keep the buttons.

One size never really fits all.