It’s that time of the year when anti-EV propaganda is running wild, trying to prove that electric vehicles are no good in the winter. Things couldn’t be further from the truth, as EV owners in cold regions proved time and time again. In a recent video, a Rivian R1T rescues a Ford F-150 Raptor stuck in the snow.
We’ve all heard those horror stories about the electric vehicles (mostly Teslas, of course) stuck at Supercharger stations in Chicago in cold weather. Although I’m not saying they are not true, I know they are not relevant for EV ownership. It’s not the freezing temperatures that cause problems; it’s the uneducated EV owners who haven’t done their homework. Electric vehicles are just fine, and we see them performing without issues in countries closer to the Polar Circle than most US states.
The 60-degree parallel crosses near Oslo, Norway’s capital, the country that has the largest percentage of electric vehicles on Earth. In North America, only Canada’s Northern Territories and Alaska are further North. The fact that Norwegians have no issues with their EVs and want more of them, not less, tells us that no one living in the US should encounter problems owning an electric car. When operated properly, these are just as good as gas-powered vehicles, if not better, no matter how cold it is.
This has been proven time and again in various situations. Countless stories are showing that electric vehicles have saved the day in situations when combustion vehicles have been stuck. That’s because winter is tricky, and low temperatures are not the biggest issue. Sometimes, it’s the slippery conditions that could pose problems. In this case, only good tires can save you from becoming breaking news material.
In a recent video, we see a Ford F-150 Raptor that needed rescue after it got stuck in the snow on the side of a road. The video was shared by Instagram user Navajomylo, who explained that he and his Rivian R1T rescued many combustion vehicles this winter in his home state, Wyoming. Among them were several semi-trucks and many cars, so the Raptor was nothing out of the ordinary.
A Rivian R1T Quad-Motor might be the perfect tool to tow other vehicles, thanks to its impressive power and torque capabilities. It’s not only the 835-horsepower figure that makes it ideal for towing; it’s also the smoothness with which it controls this power. The Raptor may have 720 horsepower to play with, but it’s nowhere near as smooth as an electric vehicle when it comes to putting that power to the road.
Last but not least, a big part of this rescue operation comes down to the tires. We don’t know what the F-150 Raptor was wearing when it got stuck, but I imagine it was all-season tires. The most I can hope for is All-Terrain tires, which might not be that good when driving on ice and snow. This might explain why the Raptor slipped off the road and into the field nearby. Navajomylo explains that his R1T is equipped with Arctic LTs from General Tire, which are studdable winter tires for light trucks with excellent grip in all winter conditions.
In the end, it really doesn’t matter which tool you use as long as you use it properly. Whether it is powered by gas or electricity, a truck should be just as good as long as it is adequately equipped for the job and the driver knows their game. Drive safely and read the manual!