China is set to become the first country to ban concealed door handles on electric vehicles, after a series of fatal incidents intensified global scrutiny of the design that was first popularised by Tesla and later widely adopted by EV manufacturers worldwide.
Under new regulations announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday, all passenger vehicles sold in China will be required to have a mechanical release mechanism on both the inside and outside of every door, with the exception of the boot, a move aimed at ensuring occupants can exit vehicles during power failures or emergencies.
The rules, which will take effect from 1 January next year, mandate that each vehicle must provide sufficient hand-operable space measuring at least 6cm by 2cm by 2.5cm to allow manual door operation, while clear visual instructions must also be placed inside the vehicle to guide occupants on how to open the doors in the absence of electrical power.
Flush-mounted pop-out door handles, which integrate seamlessly into the vehicle body and rely on electrical signals to activate the latch, were first introduced on the Tesla Model S in 2012, and although the design offers marginal aerodynamic benefits by reducing drag, it has increasingly been criticised for compromising safety.
The design has become particularly prevalent in China, where state media estimates suggest it appears in around 60% of the top 100 bestselling new energy vehicles, a category that includes both fully electric and hybrid cars, thereby forcing manufacturers to undertake extensive redesigns to comply with the new standards.
While vehicles already approved and nearing launch have been granted a two-year transition period, newer models will be required to comply immediately, a requirement likely to reshape vehicle design across the Chinese EV sector.
The regulatory shift follows several high-profile accidents, including a fatal crash in Chengdu involving Xiaomi’s SU7 electric sedan, where bystanders were unable to open the vehicle before it caught fire, as well as a lawsuit in the United States involving Tesla’s Cybertruck, in which passengers were reportedly trapped after electrical systems failed.