How Russians invented car covers -50°C temps (PHOTOS)
‘Natasha’ in Siberia is not only a woman's name, but also a portable warm garage. It helps protect cars in the harsh winter.
People living in the northern regions of Russia know very well what a cold winter is like. In the Far North and Siberia, it can be as low as -40°C and -50°C (-40°F and -58°F). And they still have to drive a car.
‘Natasha’ from Buryatia
In northern cities, warm underground parking spaces and garages are rare and very expensive. People park their cars near houses like everywhere else, but, in winter, they cover them with special covers that prevent them from freezing.
Of course, one cover is not enough: the car is equipped with an automatic start based on temperature (usually at -10°C, 14°F) and it starts up 2-3 times during the night. Another cover (rubber or plastic) is put on the exhaust pipe to prevent condensation from forming under ‘Natasha’ due to exhaust gases.
These covers were invented in 2010 by Olga Kim from Ulan-Ude, a philologist by education. At that time, she was a student living with relatives. In the winter, she noticed that her cousin, in 30-degree frost, would get up at night every two hours to warm up the car for the morning. Although she had no interest in cars, it occurred to her to sew a special cover that would retain heat like a jacket.
In the first year, she sewed 20 covers for friends and acquaintances, gradually refining the models. Then, orders started coming in from other regions. She decided to name the cover ‘Natasha’ in the Soviet style.
In every yard in Yakutsk
‘Natashas’ turned out to be the most popular in Yakutsk, the capital of the coldest region of Russia.
In just a couple of years, they have become part of the winter landscape there and solved the problem of operating cars in freezing temperatures. You can see them in every yard!
Yakutian workshops began to produce such covers and then the idea was picked up in China and, despite the different names, locals still call them ‘Natasha’.
They cost between 10,000-40,000 rubles (approx. $100-$400), depending on their size, and they are also available for rent. On top is a waterproof layer of tarpaulin and the inside is insulated. One of the advantages is that such a cover is very light and compact. It can be carried with you in the trunk or on the roof rack and unfolded when you need to park.
