The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in China has made a final decision to ban flush, hidden door handles that Tesla made popular. The ban will go into effect on January 1, 2027. New cars and trucks that weigh less than 3.5 tons must have handles on the outside and inside that can be released mechanically in an emergency. This lowers the risk of power failure in crashes. Models that are approved and in the late design stage have until 2029 to make changes.
The choice comes after deadly events, such as Xiaomi EV crashes where people were stuck inside because of power outages, making it easier for rescuers to get to them. Tesla’s pop-out handles are being looked into around the world, with at least 15 deaths linked to them and investigations by the U.S. NHTSA. Regulators point to problems like electrical failures and handles that aren’t in the right place in models like the Cybertruck.
Tesla needs to redesign its cars for the important Chinese market within a year because they rely on retractable handles on models like the Model S and Model 3. Domestic companies like BYD and Xiaomi SU7 are also affected, but traditional handles don’t help aerodynamics as much. Tesla’s stock fell after the news, which showed how hard it is to get parts.
