China bans Tesla-style retractable door handles

The People's Republic of China is preparing for large-scale changes in the automotive industry: from 2027, all new passenger cars will be prohibited from using electric retractable door handles, which have become popular thanks to models such as the Tesla Model S, Model 3, Model Y and BYD Seal. The decision was made after a series of tragic accidents in which passengers and rescuers could not open the doors due to the failure of the electric drive. This event forces automakers to rethink the principles of vehicle design and safety.

According to the new requirements, all cars must have both internal and external mechanically driven door handles. This will ensure that the doors can be opened even in the event of a power outage or damage to the body after a collision. The innovation provides for mandatory backup mechanical control, which will allow rescuers to extract passengers from crashed cars more quickly.

The first signs of change appeared in December, when the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology included a draft decree in the discussion. According to the document, all passenger cars weighing up to 3.5 tons must maintain the mechanical functionality of the doors after an accident. Emergency services have long expressed concern that modern electric vehicles with recessed handles create obstacles when rescuing people.

Electric retractable door handles were originally designed to improve aerodynamics. Their use allows you to slightly reduce the drag coefficient — by only 0.005–0.01, which corresponds to a saving of about 0.6 kWh per 100 kilometers. However, the real benefit from such designs is minimal, especially when compared with the risk to the lives of passengers in accidents.

Since 2024, the number of complaints about these handles has been steadily increasing. They often stop working in cold weather or after collisions, which has led to several tragic incidents, including accidents involving the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra car in Chengdu and Tongling, where passengers died after failing to open the doors. Sources note that even when the glass was broken, rescuers could not reach the hidden mechanical handle.

The ban on electric door handles will affect not only the Chinese market, but also the global automotive industry. China is the largest exporter of cars, and changes in domestic legislation may force manufacturers to adapt their global models to meet new standards.

As a result, many new cars sold outside of China may also receive mechanical handles or combined versions thereof.

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