cars needs far less winter path clearing than all but the best fat tire bikes
I drive a regular city bike, nothing fancy, just studded tires. I'm talking about Norway here, so studded tires are the norm in winter for almost any vehicle. I prefer biking especially in winter because of the amount of cars stuck on the roads. With the bike I'm flexible, I can drive around obstacles or impasses, worst case lift it over a ditch to make my way somewhere else. On an average day I'm at least twice as fast biking than I would be driving.
Yes, like about 80-85% of Norwegians inhabitants do. https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/folketall/statistikk/tettsteders-befolkning-og-areal.
Of course, if you live in the woods in the middle of nowhere a bike won't get you far in winter, but neither gets you a car until the snowplow has come through and dug you out. Skis are much more useful in these conditions.
I've lived in the North and commuted by bike except for days with extreme weather conditions. And again, you shouldn't be driving then either. Now that I'm a bit older I'd go for an electric bike though, I think.