How We Drive a Car at −71°C (−95°F) | Yakutia, Siberia

Driving a car in the coldest inhabited place on earth - is a daunting task. With temperatures dropping as low as -70 degrees Celsius, an unprotected car freezes within minutes Today, at -50 degrees Celsius, the car that was parked outside is frozen solid which is a common thing in Yakutia. To unfreeze a car in such low temperatures, Anatoliy and Konstantin use a special technique. For how long should we heat the engine? I think we will need about 2 hours To avoid the car freezing outside, locals must insulate their cars and keep them in a heated garage for the winter. However, keeping a garage warm in such extreme cold is not an easy task, so many locals "mothball" their cars, taking the battery out and leaving the car outside - to let it freeze and waiting until spring to unfreeze the cars and use them again when the weather is warmer. Do you think it’s already heated? It became liquid Once they’ve confirmed that the oil is liquid, they put the battery back in and turn the key to start the engine. Due to the extreme cold, there is a large amount of water vapor coming from the exhaust. This is because the cold air causes the moisture in the air to condense, forming droplets of water that may be visible coming out of the exhaust pipe. Another way to avoid the car freezing during the winter in Yakutia is by turning the engine on - all the time. From October until April, some people park their car with the engine running. However, this leads to high fuel consumption and if a car is parked for a long time in the cold, its wheels become deformed. This is a UAZ vehicle which was designed back in the Soviet era - the most popular car in the rural areas in Yakutia. While it may not have that many features - not getting stuck on a highway when it is -50 C outside is far more important than having parking sensors and comfortable seats Can’t see anything The windshields are completely frozen Shall we return back? Let's stop somewhere first Okay, let's stop here If your car gets stuck on the road, it can be very dangerous in Yakutia, where traveling from one town to another can take several days across its vast 3 million sq km area. Sadly, there have been instances where locals have frozen to death in their cars due to engine failure. To prevent such tragedies, it's crucial to have a backup vehicle on hand in case of an emergency and to ensure regular car maintenance with proper insulation. That's why Constantin and Anatoliy are now returning to the garage to reinforce the insulation in their car. The temperature outside is so cold, that the hot water immediately freezes outside. It’s like a firework! To protect the car from freezing,