It’s the dead of winter. The air is frigid, your breath turns to frost, and your car feels like an icebox. You might remember your parents telling you to let the engine warm up for several minutes before driving—but is that really necessary?
Turns out, the answer depends on what you’re driving. If you’ve got a modern gas-powered car, you can forget the long idling time. But if you’re dealing with an older vehicle—or, worse, an electric car—you might have bigger issues to worry about.
According to Robert Sinclair, Jr., Senior Manager of Public Affairs at AAA, most modern vehicles are ready to drive almost immediately. “After starting the vehicle, in the time that it takes to put on the seatbelt, the vehicle will be ready to drive,” he explained.
That’s because today’s fuel injection systems and synthetic oils work efficiently even in freezing temperatures. Unlike the old days when carbureted engines needed time to stabilize, modern engines don’t require long warm-up periods.
Automotive expert Lauren Fix from *Car Coach Reports* agrees. “[Waiting] 1-2 minutes on newer cars is all you need,” she said. The key is to drive gently for the first few minutes—no flooring it right out of the driveway.
If you’re driving a vehicle from the 1980s or earlier, you may still need to let it warm up. Older cars with carburetors struggle in the cold and often need a good five-minute idling period to function properly.
But here’s the thing: most cars on the road today don’t use carburetors. “Fuel injection has been standard equipment on nearly all engines since the late 80s/early 90s,” Sinclair noted. So unless you’re driving a classic muscle car or a decades-old pickup, there’s no reason to waste gas by idling unnecessarily.
If your car refuses to turn over on a cold morning, chances are your battery is the culprit. Sinclair warns that as temperatures drop, battery performance plummets—by as much as 30% at freezing and up to 60% at zero degrees.
If your engine cranks slowly before starting, take it as a warning sign. That battery is on its last legs, and you don’t want to find yourself stranded in the cold. Your best bet? Have an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified mechanic check it out before it’s too late.
While gas-powered cars handle winter with minimal fuss, electric vehicles (EVs) are a different story. EV owners already deal with “range anxiety,” but cold weather makes it worse—much worse.
AAA’s latest tests show that EVs lose **40% of their range** in freezing temperatures when the heater is on. That’s nearly **half your driving range—gone**. Imagine planning a long drive, only to realize you need to stop for a recharge far sooner than expected.
And it’s not just the battery. EVs are **heavier** than traditional cars, and their tires run at much higher pressures—typically 45-48 psi. But most drivers never check tire pressure, which drops as temperatures fall. Sinclair explains, “Tires lose about one psi for every 10-degree drop in temperature. Add in normal air loss, and by the time a sub-freezing cold snap hits, many EVs are running dangerously underinflated tires.”
For gas-powered cars, a long warm-up is unnecessary—just start it up, buckle in, and drive gently for the first few minutes. If your car won’t start, check the battery before it’s too late.
As for EVs? The cold exposes their biggest flaws—severe range loss, battery inefficiency, and tire issues. No wonder many Americans are hesitant to buy in.
One thing is clear: when winter hits, nothing beats a reliable, gas-powered vehicle.