According to new rules published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, the sale of cars will only be permitted if they are equipped with mechanical door handles both outside and inside. These changes will take effect on January 1, 2027. Each passenger door, except for the trunk, must have a recess that provides access to the opening mechanism, as well as indicators showing how to manually open the doors from the inside. Cars that have already received market approval will be granted an additional two years to bring their mechanisms into compliance with the new standards.
Hidden electronic door handles, which first appeared in the Tesla Model S electric vehicle in 2012, quickly gained popularity among Chinese automakers focused on high technology. According to China Daily, about 60% of the top 100 selling electric vehicles (NEVs) in China are equipped with such handles.
Although the new rules apply only to cars sold in China, experts believe they may influence automakers' decisions worldwide. China is actively working to establish standards for the international electric vehicle market. Tu Le, founder of Sino Auto Insights, noted that companies like Tesla and Kia face a dilemma: whether to modify models solely for China or make adjustments on a global scale. This could pose a challenge for many automakers that have unified designs for different regions.
At the same time, regulators in the U.S. are already investigating issues related to the design of Tesla doors, and Europe is considering the possibility of introducing its own regulations. In November, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began an investigation into Tesla's electric door handles after reports that they could unexpectedly fail, leaving children trapped inside vehicles. The NHTSA received nine complaints regarding the 2021 Tesla Model Y handles, and in four cases, owners were forced to break windows to resolve the issue.
