Living in the coldest inhabited place on Earth sounds like a tedious task. Coming from someone who lives in a tropical country, I can only imagine it.
In the video above, the presenter shows how a vehicle owner in Yakutia, Siberia, which is claimed to be the coldest inhabited place on Earth. This is a challenging task due to the extremely low temperatures which can drop to -94 degrees Fahrenheit (-70 degrees Celsius). If the car is left unprotected in these conditions, it can freeze within minutes.
For the record, the temperature in the video above registers -58 degrees F (-58 degrees C).
To defrost a car, locals use a special technique that takes about two hours. That’s another task, the video shows the process that needs to be done. The car shown is a UAZ, one of the heaviest vehicles ever to come out of Russia.
To prevent the car from freezing outside, it is important to insulate it and store it in a heated garage during the winter. However, keeping the garage warm in the bitter cold can be difficult and expensive, so many locals opt to “mothmothball” their cars by removing the battery and letting the car outside freeze. They have to wait until spring to defrost their vehicle.
Another way to prevent cars from freezing during the winter months is to leave the engine running around the clock, which is common practice in Yakutia, parking their engine from October to April. While this method definitely works, it also clearly leads to high fuel consumption.
Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, especially if your car stalls on the road. In Yakutia, getting from one city to another can take several days. If the car fails, it can be life-threatening, so it is very important to ensure regular maintenance of the car and proper insulation.
The video also shows Konstantin and Anatoliy, two local residents in Yakutia, how they insulate their vehicles. The couple spent about $70 on materials and tools needed to protect the car from freezing.
