speaking as a professional diesel engine mechanic --and in the midst of this midwest snowstorm-- winter is hard on everything. -electrics with proper planning

speaking as a professional diesel engine mechanic --and in the midst of this midwest snowstorm-- winter is hard on everything. -electrics with proper planning work well, but there is a nasty wives tale in the service industry that batteries are safer to work on in a cold garage and that you can skip the safety gear. a tesla battery still has easily enough juice to send you to jesus even at -50c. -gas engines need block heaters or its like starting an engine in a tar pit, and the mileage takes a 20-30% haircut. -diesel engines are finnicky beasts in the cold. most of your environmental reclamation stuff has to be heated along with the block, and anti gelling agents are hell on them. mileage and waxy soot particulate from stacks are equally bad. california has special requirements and bans on certain gel agents as well. in colder places like nunavut or the northern territories, heavy truck drivers without reliable electrical power light a small fire under their engine to warm it. not for the faint hearted.