China bans electric cars with hidden door handles

China is introducing a new safety standard for cars that bans hidden door handles. The standard will come into effect on January 1, 2027, and electric vehicles already approved or scheduled for sale must make design changes by early 2029.

Under the new requirements, exterior door handles must remain functional even if the car loses power or systems fail, and interior doors must have at least one independent mechanical emergency release handle.

The decision to ban hidden handles is related to safety. Despite improved aerodynamics and design, such systems pose risks in the event of a power failure or accidents when the door cannot be opened. Tesla was the first to introduce hidden handles, and most Chinese manufacturers began using them later. The problems became apparent after several fatalities and the incident with the Xiaomi SU7 in Chengdu, where the driver could not be rescued due to the inability to open the door.

Similar safety issues have arisen in the United States. NHTSA has launched an investigation into the electronic handles in the Tesla Model Y after several complaints where owners were unable to open the doors from the outside, including cases where windows had to be broken to access the interior. The main problem concerns insufficient power supply and difficult access to the emergency levers for children and elderly passengers.