From next year, China will ban hidden door handles on electric vehicles, becoming the first country to do so. The ban comes as part of a new safety-focused regulation following a series of fatal incidents and increasing scrutiny of EV designs.
From January 2027, all vehicles sold in China must have mechanical door releases both inside and out. Externally, each passenger door must include a recessed space, at least 6cm by 2cm by 2.5cm, making it large enough to grip the handle. Internally, clear signage showing how to operate the door will also be required, with minimum dimensions of 1cm by 0.7cm.
This decision has been made as safety concerns have been growing, especially following two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs, where suspected power failures reportedly made the doors inoperable. The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the ruling, which is designed to ensure that car doors can be opened even during electrical failures.
China’s NEV (new energy vehicle) market, which includes electric, hybrid, and hydrogen-powered cars, currently has hidden handles used in roughly 60% of its top 100 best-selling models. Manufacturers with vehicles already approved for sale will have until 2029 to update their designs.
It’s worth noting that although the regulation applies only to China, the country’s influence in the global automotive industry means the ruling is likely to impact international markets. Tesla, one of the first manufacturers to use retractable handles, is already under investigation by US safety regulators. In November, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into Tesla’s Model Y after nine complaints were filed, including four cases where owners had to break windows to escape the vehicle.
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