How Do People In Coldest Inhabited Places On Earth Own, Drive Cars?

Living in the coldest inhabited places on Earth sounds already like a tedious task. Coming from someone who lives in a tropical country, I can only imagine that.

In the video above, the presenter shows how to be a vehicle owner in Yakutia, Siberia, claimed to be the coldest inhabited place on Earth. This is a challenging task due to the extremely low temperatures which can drop as low as -94 degrees Fahrenheit (-70 degrees Celsius). If a car is left unprotected in these conditions, it can freeze within minutes.

Of note, the temperature in the video above was recorded at -58 degrees F (-58 degrees C).

To unfreeze a car, locals use a special technique that takes about two hours. It’s another chore, the video shows the processes that needed to be done. The car shown was a UAZ, one of the toughest vehicles that have come out of Russia.

To avoid the car from freezing outside, it is important to insulate it and keep it in a heated garage during winter. However, keeping a garage warm in such extreme cold can be difficult and costly, so many locals choose to “mothball” their cars by taking out the battery and leaving the car outside to freeze. They will have to wait until spring to unfreeze their vehicles.

Another way to prevent the car from freezing during the winter months is by leaving the engine on all the time, which is a common practice in Yakutia, parked with their engines on from October to April. While this method surely works, it also obviously leads to high fuel consumption.

Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, especially if your car gets stuck on the road. In Yakutia, traveling from one town to another can take several days. If the car fails, it can be life-threatening, so it is crucial to ensure regular car maintenance and proper insulation.

The video also shows Konstantin and Anatoliy, two locals in Yakutia, how they insulate their vehicles. The couple spent about $70 on materials and tools necessary to protect the car from freezing.