US EditionChina Bans Hidden Car Door Handles over Safety Concerns
China mandates mechanical release mechanisms on EV door handles after at least 15 deaths linked to concealed handles, affecting 60% of top-selling models, effective Jan 2027.
- On Monday, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology banned concealed door handles and mandated mechanical releases for cars sold in China, effective Jan. 1, 2027, with a compliance deadline of Jan. 1, 2029 for approved models.
- After several high-profile crashes, a string of fatal incidents in China, including Xiaomi SU7 electric sedan cases, and Bloomberg and U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probes highlighted trapped occupants and emergency-access problems.
- The new rules specify exterior recessed space of 6 centimeters by 2 centimeters , interior signage at least 1cm by 0.7cm, and mechanical release on passenger doors except tailgate.
- Automakers face costly redesigns estimated at more than 100 million yuan per model, affecting Tesla's Model Y and Model 3, BMW iX3, Xiaomi YU7, while some models revert to exposed handles.
- By moving first, Beijing positions China as a regulator whose standards other jurisdictions and global regulators may adopt, though experts warn redesigns will favor higher-margin luxury models and risk stifling innovation.
139 Articles
139 Articles
Starting next year, China will ban hidden door handles in electric cars.
In China, many manufacturers have long been offering Tesla's famous technology of door handles disappearing in the car. But the government is now prohibiting it. Why? And what does that mean for the manufacturers?
China: No More Hidden Handles on Car Doors
China will ban hidden door handles on cars, commonly used on Tesla's electric vehicles and many other EV models, starting next year. All car doors must include a mechanical release function for handles, except for the tailgate, according to details released by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on...
By Jessie Yeung and Beijing Bureau, CNN China is banning hidden door handles on all cars sold in the country, becoming the first country in the world to aim against this feature, popularized by Tesla, but which for years generated concern about security risks. Hidden door handles are a distinctive feature of Tesla’s vehicles, and the ban comes as Elon Musk’s company reports a fall in global sales and faces strong competition in China, its second…
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