More than four million cars, including three million Teslas, are being recalled in China due to safety concerns over hidden door handles.
The recall, which also affects several major Chinese automakers, is the country’s largest this year.
About 2.98 million Chinese-made and imported Teslas are being recalled.
External handles that sit flush against the door panel have been popularized by the US EV manufacturer and are used across the mainstream vehicle range.
As such, the Model 3, Model YModel X and Model S are all being recalled to comply with the impending regulations.
The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced in February that this will happen outlaw minimalist, folding door handles from January 1, 2027 as security concerns surrounding the feature increase.
This follows cases where the handles have lost strength after being involved in an accident, making it difficult for emergency services to reach passengers in affected vehicles.
Recalled Tesla cars will have a warning label on the inside of the door and will receive a software update that automatically lowers the windows after a crash.
More than four million cars recalled in China over safety concerns due to hidden door handles, with more than 2.98 million Tesla EVs recalled
Xiaomi, the Beijing-based smart driving technology company, is recalling more than 390,900 cars, while Hangzhou-based Leapmotor is recalling more than 370,000 vehicles.
Geely and XPeng are also recalling engines.
The new rules, which come into effect from next year, will only allow carmakers to sell cars in China if they have mechanical unlocking on both the inside and outside of the doors.
The MIIT said Chinese car models already approved for launch will be given another two years to redesign their vehicles to comply with the new rules.
The new regulations will apply to all vehicles, but will especially apply to electric cars, which are usually designed with hidden handles, and will “improve the level of car safety design,” the ministry said.
The Tesla Model S – which was debited in 2012 – is the mainstream model that popularized hidden ‘pop-out’ handles
Minimalist door handle designs are the subject of safety concerns after two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs, with power outages believed to have prevented doors from opening.
Hidden handles – especially those that pop out of the door panel when the car is unlocked – have become increasingly common following the arrival of Musk’s first mass-market EV, the Tesla Model S, in 2012.
The slim and aerodynamic handles that recess into the door panels can reduce air resistance and improve the aesthetics of vehicles.
However, owners consistently report that they freeze over in winter, and also express concerns about their operation when the batteries die or the cars are involved in collisions.
China’s new rules could prompt global automakers to reconsider vehicle designs.
Other brands traditionally popular in China – including Audi, Jaguar Land Rover and Renault – also use pop-up handles on some of their models.
The Range Rover and Range Rover Velar have minimalist door handles, as do some Renault electric vehicles, including the Megane and Scenic E-Tech.
The new £100,000 Range Rover has recessed door handles that pop out when the car is unlocked
Renault has recessed door handles that pop out electronically on some of its new electric models, including the Mégane (left) and Scenic E-Tech (right)
Predicting how China’s new rules are likely to affect British cars, Steve Walker, head of digital content at Auto Express, said: ‘China’s decision to require mechanical door unlocks both inside and outside the car could have ramifications far beyond its borders.
‘Manufacturers don’t want to build completely different cars for different markets, so what happens in China could affect the cars we buy here in Britain.
‘And with the US also looking at stricter regulations and Europe reviewing the technology, the days of the flat, electronic door handle could be numbered.’
This is Money has contacted Tesla, XPeng, Geely and Xiaomi for comment.
