China Bans Tesla’s Popular Door Handle Design for Safety

China is set to prohibit one of Tesla’s hallmark features to enhance vehicle safety. New regulations from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology dictate that cars sold in the country must have mechanical releases on their door handles. This rule comes into effect on January 1, 2027, effectively banning electronically operated concealed door handles.

According to the new guidelines, every vehicle door, excluding the tailgate, must be equipped with an outer handle that allows for manual release, and there must also be a mechanical release on the interior.

Interestingly, China is the first nation to implement this type of ban. While Tesla is well-known for this design, local competitors like Xiaomi have also adopted similar features.

The decision follows a notable incident where a power outage, it is said, left individuals trapped inside vehicles due to their inability to open the doors. Reports indicated that at least two of these situations involved severe collisions with Xiaomi’s electric vehicles.

As Bill Russo, founder of the consultancy AutoMobility, noted, “China is progressing from merely being the biggest EV market to becoming a leader in regulating car technology.” This might influence safety standards not only in China but possibly worldwide as the country exports EVs.

In December, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated an investigation into a defect concerning the emergency door release mechanism in the Tesla Model 3, affecting around 179,000 vehicles from the 2022 model year.

Interestingly, while there isn’t currently a specific requirement under U.S. federal standards for manual door release during power outages, the absence of a reasonable way for occupants to exit could be seen as a safety flaw, potentially leading to recall actions.

Remarks have been sought from both Tesla and Xiaomi regarding these new developments.