Winter exposes what we ignore: Why December breaks cars and EVs alike

December morning began like any other - dense Delhi fog, muted sounds, a rushed start. He turned the key of his three-year-old SUV and waited. Nothing. Just a faint clicking noise and dashboard lights that blinked once before dying. The tow truck driver barely looked under the hood. “Battery,” he said. “Happens every December.” “But it was fine yesterday,” he said. The driver shrugged. “Winter doesn’t break cars. It exposes what was already weak.” That sentence stays with many drivers longer than the repair bill. Because December isn’t when vehicles suddenly develop problems. It’s when months of quiet neglect finally show up.

Why Breakdowns Spike Every December

Every winter, roadside assistance teams and insurers see the same pattern. As temperatures drop, breakdown calls surge. Industry data from insurers and mobility providers shows 30–40% higher breakdown requests during winter months, driven largely by battery failures, cold starts, and electrical issues. What’s striking is that most of these vehicles were running “perfectly fine” until November. The reality is simpler: they were functioning under forgiving conditions. Winter removes that cushion.

What Cold Weather Actually Does to Your Vehicle

The cold doesn’t create new problems. It magnifies existing ones.

Batteries lose power: At lower temperatures, a car battery can lose 30–35% of its cranking capacity. A battery that’s two years old may still work in summer but lack the reserve needed on a cold morning.

Oil thickens: Cold oil flows slower, making engines work harder during start-up—especially if oil changes have been delayed or the wrong grade is used.

Tyre pressure drops: For every 5°C fall in temperature, tyre pressure drops by about 1 PSI, reducing grip and increasing braking distance on wet or foggy roads.

Electrical load rises: Headlights, fog lamps, defoggers, wipers—all run longer in winter. Weak alternators and ageing wiring struggle to keep up.

The EV Reality Few Are Prepared For

Global EV performance studies show that winter can reduce driving range by 20–30%, largely due to battery chemistry limits and the heavy drain from cabin heating. Charging also slows down, and regenerative braking becomes less effective in colder conditions. For drivers who calculated daily range assuming ideal conditions, December can be unsettling. Nothing is “wrong” with the vehicle. This is simply how batteries behave in cold weather.

What Insurance Claims Quietly Reveal

Motor insurance data reinforces the pattern every year:

● Battery-related breakdown claims spike

● Skidding and low-visibility accident claims rise

● Windshield damage increases due to thermal shock

● Emergency towing requests peak in fog-heavy regions

These aren’t random failures. They’re predictable outcomes of deferred care meeting harsh conditions.

The Maintenance Gaps Winter Exposes

Ask yourself:

● Do you know your battery’s age or only that the car still starts?

● Have your tyres been checked for tread depth recently?

● Are your wipers actually clearing the windshield, or just “good enough”?

● Do you know what your roadside assistance cover actually includes?

Most drivers wait until failure answers these questions for them.

Where Insurance Quietly Makes the Difference

Comprehensive motor insurance with roadside assistance, adequate towing limits, and the right add-ons can reduce both cost and stress during winter incidents. Yet many drivers only revisit their policy when they’re already stranded, discovering too late that limits are exhausted or exclusions apply. Insurance doesn’t prevent breakdowns. But when winter exposes weaknesses, the right cover prevents them from becoming financial or logistical emergencies.

Your car or EV has been signalling its weak points for months. December simply removes the margin for error. The choice isn’t between maintenance and no maintenance, it's between planned preparedness and forced crisis management. A little attention before winter like basic checks, realistic expectations, and insurance readiness that costs far less than emergency repairs, missed days, or preventable accidents.