Starting in 2027, China will prohibit hidden electric door handles on vehicles to address safety risks in crashes and power failures. The new regulations require mechanical handles that function without electricity, even during battery fires. This move targets a design popularized by Tesla and adopted by many EV makers.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced a new national auto safety standard on February 3, 2026, banning hidden and electrically actuated door handles on vehicles sold in the country. The rules take effect on January 1, 2027, with automakers allowed to complete design changes for already approved models by January 2029.
The regulation mandates that exterior door handles remain operable mechanically from both sides, even in scenarios like irreversible restraint system failures, thermal runaway in the battery pack, or loss of electrical power. For interiors, each door must include at least one independent mechanical release handle that is visible and not obstructed by other parts of the car. MIIT stated on Weibo that the changes address "issues including inconvenient operation of exterior door handles and inability to open them after an accident."
This design, pioneered by Tesla and embraced for aerodynamic and aesthetic benefits, has raised safety concerns. Hidden handles lie flush with the vehicle's exterior until they pop out upon detecting an approaching driver, but they can malfunction post-crash or during battery failure. Bloomberg News reported in September 2025 that Tesla's doors could become impossible to open externally in emergencies, forcing responders to break windows. The report linked 15 deaths to incidents where Tesla doors would not open, including cases where occupants could not exit from inside.
In China, nearly all top EV makers, including Xiaomi, use retractable handles, with about 60% of top-selling EVs featuring the design. A fatal October 2025 crash involving a Xiaomi SU7 in Chengdu highlighted the issue: the driver died after bystanders could not open the doors amid a post-collision fire.
The ban will require global automakers selling in China to redesign vehicles, but it won't impact the U.S. market due to tariffs and technology restrictions. In the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into 2021 Tesla Model Y door handle failures and is evaluating related complaints for Tesla Model 3 interiors. Legislation introduced in the House last month proposes fail-safe manual releases for doors. Tesla's chief designer told Bloomberg in September 2025 that the company was working on redesigning its handles.
