China has announced a ban on hidden door handles for electric vehicles, becoming the first country globally to outlaw this design popularized by Tesla. This feature is currently under scrutiny by international regulators following a series of fatal incidents.
On February 2, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued new safety regulations mandating that all vehicles sold in China must be equipped with mechanical opening devices on both the interior and exterior of car doors.
The ministry stated that the new rules will officially take effect on January 1, 2027. Vehicle models that have already passed regulatory approval and are in the final stages of launch in China can delay design modifications until January 2029.
This regulatory tightening stems from several high-profile accidents, including two fire incidents involving Xiaomi electric vehicles in China. The accidents were suspected to involve power failure preventing door opening, trapping occupants who could neither escape nor be rescued, ultimately resulting in fatalities. Although the new regulation specifically targets electric vehicles sold in China, the country's influence on the global automotive industry may cause the rule to have ripple effects in other nations. Tesla's door design has already become the subject of safety investigations in the United States, while European regulators are also planning to introduce related rules.
Bill Russo, founder of Shanghai-based automotive consultancy Automobility, commented: "China is transitioning from the world's largest electric vehicle market to a setter of regulatory standards for new vehicle technologies. By acting first, China can leverage its massive domestic market to establish safety standards that both domestic and foreign automakers must adhere to. These standards may eventually go global with Chinese EV exports, influencing international industry norms."
The impact of this design adjustment may vary, and the specific implementation costs remain unclear. An industry insider familiar with the design process of a Chinese EV manufacturer revealed that modification costs for a single model could exceed 100 million yuan (approximately $144 million).
Li Ke, Executive Vice President of BYD Company Limited, stated in a February 3 interview that the new regulation would have limited impact on the company, which is prepared to complete design adjustments according to government requirements.
According to China Daily reports, approximately 60% of the top 100 selling new energy models in April 2025 were equipped with hidden door handles. Automakers' modification efforts will focus particularly on high-margin luxury models, which typically feature the sleek, futuristic body designs that will now be prohibited.
Affected models include the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, as well as the BMW iX3 scheduled for Chinese launch in 2026. The Nio ES8, Li Auto i8, and Xpeng P7 also feature this door handle design.
The popular Xiaomi YU7 sport utility vehicle, launched in June 2025, will also require comprehensive modifications. Fatal crashes involving two Xiaomi SU7 electric sedans in March and October 2025 brought door handle safety issues into public focus.
These two accidents accelerated the introduction of door handle regulations, though safety concerns about this design had already sparked controversy within the industry. Following at least two EV accidents in July 2024 where occupants died trapped inside vehicles due to inaccessible doors, Chinese authorities initiated a review of door safety standards.
The new regulation specifies detailed requirements: exterior doors must feature a recessed area of at least 6cm × 2cm (2.4in × 0.8in) for hand grip access to the opening handle; interior doors must display identification no smaller than 1cm × 0.7cm clearly indicating door opening methods. The regulation also precisely defines installation positions for door handles and identification markers.
This "one-size-fits-all" regulatory approach may potentially stifle innovation in the country that leads global electric vehicle technology.
According to the industry insider familiar with design processes, several existing safety configurations will become obsolete after the new regulation takes effect, including mechanical cables and door backup batteries - systems designed to ensure door operation during power failure. In other markets, some models integrate electric and manual opening systems within the same handle, allowing occupants to yank the mechanism for emergency exit. Foreign automakers argue this design offers more intuitive operation during emergencies.
Chinese automakers detected regulatory trends early during the policy adjustment phase and are now leading vehicle modification efforts. Some models, including Geely Auto Holding Co., Ltd.'s Galaxy M9 and BYD's Seal 06, have already reverted to traditional exposed door handles.
Most foreign automakers have not yet disclosed specific door design modification details for the Chinese market.
Tesla has stated it will make necessary adjustments for the Chinese market. The company's response to door safety investigations in the U.S. reveals other potential modification directions - Tesla has faced door safety concerns stateside for years. Tesla announced it will optimize manual door opening devices for more intuitive operation; Chair Robyn Denholm added that the company is considering programming doors to automatically unlock when vehicle battery voltage drops too low.
For global automakers, this door handle regulation marks a historic shift in worldwide safety standards, with China gradually replacing Europe and America as the dominant force in this领域. Automobility founder Russo believes China's leadership in EV manufacturing and intelligent driving technology means its regulatory framework will likely be emulated by countries worldwide.
Beyond door handles, the Ministry of Public Security plans to restrict vehicle acceleration capabilities from 0-100 km/h, while authorities are also strengthening supervision of advanced driver-assistance systems.
Russo concluded: "China already leads significantly in commercializing certain advanced technologies, particularly in electrification where it's at the global forefront. I believe China's leading advantage in autonomous driving technology will further expand. In setting industry regulatory standards, China will play a guiding role far exceeding that of other countries."
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