Christmas time is also travel time for many. If you set off by car on the holidays, you should consider important things such as: how long does the heating last in the car, how much does it use when you are stuck in traffic? Because it can sometimes drag on for hours.
The holidays have begun for many and therefore often the travel season as well. Relatives should be visited at Christmas or the winter vacation is coming up. And then it happens: Just a moment ago, the traffic was flowing smoothly – now there’s a traffic jam. You don’t know how long it lasts, even in winter. But at low temperatures, heating is important. It is therefore also important to start with a fully refueled or fully charged car, especially longer distances.
How much a car consumes while stationary varies from car to car. But the ADAC states as a rule of thumb: In wintry temperatures, an electric car needs between 1.5 and 2 kW of heating power when stationary in order to maintain the temperature in the interior, which is already warm.
If you stand in a traffic jam for ten hours in extreme cases, you need 15 to 20 kWh of energy. According to the ADAC, most current electric cars can do this without any problems if the battery was halfway charged at the beginning of the traffic jam.
Depending on the model and equipment, the car club specifies between 0.8 and 1.2 liters per hour for the combustion engine – tending to be slightly more for the gasoline engine than for the diesel. Of course, you should always refuel in good time on the go and not squint at the last drop or an almost empty battery.
For longer traffic jams and emergencies, it is better to have warm blankets and hot drinks in warming jugs on board in winter. Eating small bites can also make compulsory breaks more pleasant.
It is also better to check the radiator antifreeze, windscreen antifreeze and the car battery before starting. The windscreen wipers are also cleaned and checked for functionality. If you also have an ice scraper and hand broom in the car, you are prepared for most eventualities.
