Tag Archives: Winter

News

The Cold-Weather Fuel Rule

Every driver has their own fuel philosophy. Some treat the gas gauge like a nervous parent, refilling at three-quarters full. Others drive on fumes, convinced the glowing low-fuel light is more of a suggestion than a warning. And then there’s the old AAA advice: keep the tank full to prevent condensation—especially in winter.

All of that contains a grain of truth. But if you want the real sweet spot for your car’s health, it lives somewhere between paranoia and recklessness.

According to mechanics and fuel-system engineers, the ideal operating range for your fuel tank is between one-quarter and full. Dip below that too often and you risk stressing expensive hardware. Keep it topped off all the time and you’re not doing yourself—or your wallet—any favors either.

Why Running Low Isn’t a Flex

Modern cars don’t just use fuel to make explosions in the engine. They also use it to cool and lubricate the fuel pump, which in most vehicles sits inside the tank. That pump is bathed in gasoline while it works, shedding heat and staying slick thanks to the fuel flowing through it.

Let the tank drop too low and that protective bath disappears. The pump runs hotter. Lubrication becomes inconsistent. Over time, the internal components wear faster—kind of like revving a cold engine every morning and hoping for the best.

Sure, you might get away with it. Plenty of people do. But it’s the mechanical equivalent of living on energy drinks and four hours of sleep. Some bodies survive it. Others break down early.

And No, Overfilling Isn’t Heroic Either

On the other end of the spectrum are drivers who religiously click the nozzle until every last drop fits. That’s not doing your car a favor either. Overfilling can saturate the evaporative emissions system—the part that traps fuel vapors—leading to check-engine lights, rough running, and repair bills that make you wish you’d stopped at the first click.

Your tank is designed to have empty space for vapor expansion. Filling it past that point defeats the engineering.

Winter Changes the Rules

There is, however, one time when more fuel is better: bad weather.

Cold temperatures increase condensation risk, and snowstorms or natural disasters can turn fuel stations into chaos overnight. If you’ve ever seen what happens to gas lines after an earthquake or during a major winter storm, you know exactly why mechanics recommend keeping at least half a tank in winter.

Fuel isn’t just range—it’s security. Heat if you’re stuck. Mobility if roads close. Peace of mind when everyone else is scrambling.

Your fuel gauge isn’t just a countdown timer to the next fill-up—it’s a health monitor for one of the most critical parts of your car.

Keep it above a quarter tank for everyday driving. Don’t top it off obsessively. And when winter or emergencies loom, give yourself the cushion of a half tank or more.

Treat your fuel system right, and it will return the favor with fewer failures, longer life, and fewer unpleasant roadside surprises. And that’s a win no matter what’s in your garage.

Source: American Automobile Association

News

Driving with Snow on Your Car in New Jersey Can Cost You Up to $1,000

Winter has a funny way of turning parked cars into rolling art installations. Some look like minimalist snow domes, others like something a kid built during recess. Either way, once you turn the key and head into traffic, that frozen aesthetic stops being charming and starts being a liability—legally and physically.

New Jersey officials are once again reminding drivers of something that really shouldn’t need repeating: before you drive, you need to remove snow and ice from the entire vehicle. Not just the windshield. Not just the headlights. The whole thing. Roof, hood, trunk, windows—everything that might later decide to detach itself at 65 mph and visit the car behind you.

Yes, that means more than carving out a tiny letterbox in the windshield like you’re piloting a tank through a blizzard.

Why the Law Exists (and Why It’s Enforced)

At a basic level, the rule is common sense. Snow left on windows limits your vision. Snow left on the roof doesn’t stay there. At highway speeds, it slides, lifts, and launches. When it’s frozen into a solid slab, it becomes a low-budget ballistic missile with surprisingly good aim.

Windshields crack. Panels dent. Drivers panic. Accidents happen.

New Jersey’s law is designed to stop that chain reaction before it starts. Fines for failing to clear your vehicle begin at $25—essentially the price of a decent snow brush. But if snow or ice flies off your car and causes damage, an accident, or injury, the penalty can jump to $1,000. Commercial drivers face even steeper consequences, with fines that can reach $1,500.

Suddenly, that extra two minutes in the driveway doesn’t seem optional.

The Tragedy Behind the Rulebook

Like many safety laws, this one wasn’t born out of theory or bureaucracy. It came from a real, devastating incident.

In February 1996, Michael Eastman was driving home when a large sheet of ice broke free from a truck trailer ahead of him and smashed through his windshield. He suffered catastrophic head injuries and died days later. The incident, reported by NJ101.5, left his wife, Cathy, to carry the burden of a loss that should never have happened.

Rather than letting it fade into statistics, she spent years pushing lawmakers to take the issue seriously. Her argument was simple: clearing snow and ice shouldn’t be a suggestion or a line item everyone ignores on a winter checklist. It should be mandatory, just like wearing a seatbelt.

Eventually, lawmakers listened. What had once been “recommended” became the law.

Not Just About the Other Guy

It’s easy to frame this rule as protecting everyone else on the road—and it absolutely does—but it also protects you. Snow sliding down your windshield under braking can instantly blind you. Ice shifting on the roof can throw off your balance or distract you at the worst possible moment.

Modern cars are packed with safety tech, but none of it works if you can’t see or if you’re dodging debris you accidentally created.

Winter Driving Isn’t Optional—Preparation Is

In snow-prone states, winter driving is a fact of life. That means adapting your habits, not just your tires. Clearing your car completely isn’t about being overly cautious or following rules for the sake of it. It’s about acknowledging that physics doesn’t care if you’re late for work.

Snow will move. Ice will fly. The only variable is whether you deal with it while parked or at speed.

New Jersey has decided that the driveway is the correct place to handle it—and the law backs that up.

So next time the forecast calls for flakes, grab the brush, clear the roof, and do it properly. Your fellow drivers will thank you, your windshield will stay intact, and your wallet will be spared a fine that could’ve bought you a very nice snow shovel.

And if you think this is obvious? Good. Sometimes the most obvious rules are the ones worth enforcing.

Source: NJ101.5

News

Winter Exposes the Real Gap Between EVs and ICE Cars

Winter has a way of cutting through marketing claims like road salt through sheetmetal. Range estimates, charging promises, efficiency bragging rights—none of it is immune once temperatures drop and heaters switch on. A recent Green NCAP study puts that reality into sharp focus, comparing how electric vehicles and gasoline-powered cars cope when the weather turns unfriendly. The results aren’t shocking, but they are clarifying.

The test lined up two EVs—the BYD Sealion 7 and the Cupra Born—against two familiar internal-combustion benchmarks, the BMW 5 Series and BMW X2. Same cold conditions, same real-world scrutiny. Different outcomes.

Big Battery, Smaller Losses

The BYD Sealion 7 Comfort entered the test with the usual EV disadvantages: size, weight, and a lot of mass to keep warm. At 2,225 kilograms and packing an 82.5-kWh battery, it’s no lightweight. Yet it handled winter better than expected.

In warm conditions, the Sealion 7 manages around 400 kilometers of range. In the cold, that figure dropped to 337 kilometers—a loss of roughly 16 percent. Green NCAP calls that “relatively moderate,” and in EV terms, that’s practically a compliment. Credit goes to effective thermal insulation and the ability to preheat the cabin before driving, reducing the battery drain once underway.

Charging, however, tells a less flattering story. BYD promises a 10-to-80 percent fast charge in 32 minutes. Reality added about eight more minutes, enough to earn a “poor” rating in this category. Still, the Sealion 7 walked away with a four-star sustainability score and 73 percent overall—solid numbers for a large electric SUV.

Smaller EV, Bigger Winter Penalty

The Cupra Born didn’t fare as well. Lighter at 1,839 kilograms and running a smaller 60-kWh battery, the Born should have had an efficiency edge. Instead, winter hit it harder.

From a warm-weather range of 328 kilometers, the Born dropped to just 221 kilometers in cold conditions—a 33 percent reduction. That’s the kind of number that turns a casual road trip into a charging strategy session.

There was a bright spot. Green NCAP praised the accuracy of Cupra’s energy-consumption readings. Drivers see what the car is actually using, not an optimistic guess. BYD, by contrast, showed discrepancies in its consumption data, prompting a recommendation for a software update to deliver clearer, more reliable information.

Gas Cars: Predictable, Not Perfect

On the gasoline side, the BMW 5 Series and X2 behaved exactly as you’d expect. Fuel consumption went up in winter, but not dramatically—and certainly not catastrophically.

The 5 Series increased from 6.8 to 8.1 l/100 km, while the X2 rose from 7.1 to 8.0 l/100 km. The reason is simple: internal-combustion engines generate waste heat, which conveniently warms the cabin. Efficiency suffers a bit, but range anxiety never enters the conversation.

Green NCAP notes that these increases are modest and predictable, giving gasoline cars an edge in real-world confidence when temperatures plunge.

The Real Takeaway

From an environmental standpoint, the EVs still score well. The Sealion 7 and Cupra Born remain attractive options, especially for drivers who mostly stick to shorter trips. But winter exposes the weak points: range loss, longer charging times, and the added complication of a fast-charging network that still isn’t where it needs to be.

Long journeys in an EV during cold weather demand planning, patience, and a willingness to accept that official figures are more suggestion than guarantee.

Green NCAP’s message is clear. Electric-car manufacturers need better thermal management systems and greater transparency about cold-weather performance. Because nothing kills enthusiasm faster than a buyer who feels misled—especially when the temperature drops, the range shrinks, and the real-world numbers suddenly have very little to do with what was promised on paper.

Source: Green NCAP; Photo: Shutterstock