China Bans Concealed Door Handles on EVs

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has finalized new safety regulations banning concealed door handles on electric vehicles sold in the country, marking the first explicit prohibition of such a design feature worldwide on safety grounds. The rules, aimed at ensuring reliable emergency access, will take effect on January 1, 2027, with vehicles already approved for sale granted until January 1, 2029, to comply.

The policy requires all passenger cars to equip each door, excluding the tailgate, with mechanical release handles operable from both the interior and exterior. This eliminates hidden or electronically actuated designs that extend or retract via sensors or buttons, which have become prevalent in electric vehicles to enhance aerodynamics and streamline exteriors. According to state media, approximately 60 percent of China's 100 best-selling new energy vehicles currently feature these concealed handles, including models from Tesla, Xiaomi, Nio, Xpeng, Li Auto, and Aion.

Regulators developed the standards in response to multiple high-profile accidents where power failures or collision damage prevented doors from opening, trapping occupants and complicating...