I belong to a college organization that recently purchased a GEM e4, in the summer of 2012. This is our first winter with the vehicle. Because we live in the northeastern United States, we constantly face the difficulty of traveling on wet, icy sidewalks and roads.
Does anyone have any advice on utilizing a GEM car during winter weather? I have heard that some individuals store their vehicles away for the winter, but my organization needs to use the vehicle as much as possible.
Has anyone tried applying new tires to the GEM e4; tires that have better traction for winter? How about chains, has anyone tried attaching chains to their e4 tires?
If anyone has any advice about using a GEM car in the winter, please let me know! Any help would be wonderfully appreciated.
Welcome to the forums!
I live in New York so I store mine all winter inside and on a charge. They are not suited well for winter use. Hopefully you have doors :). NY also uses copious amounts of road salt that will corrode the metal surfaces of your GEM. Batteries do not like cold weather either so you will probably see a decrease in your range. I suppose you could mount snow tires (not all season), or studded tires are also an option. Another option would be to get “cable chains” or standard tire chains for the front drive wheels.
Good luck & safe travels.
I’m in Denver… although I have an eS… think all GEMs are the same… I drive my car almost daily… am retired and do pass on snow days and if the temp in less than 34 degrees… I’ve driven a day after a snow and find that the front wheel drive is ok to take on the streets and hills here… as long as they have been plowed… I have new 14" tires this year and had the original 12" tires last winter… the only problem I have is fogging of the windows… I don’t have a heater or fan…