BEIJING: China will ban hidden door handles on cars sold in the country from next year, phasing out the minimalist design popularised by Tesla over safety concerns.
New rules, announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday (Feb 2), will take effect from Jan 1, 2027, and will require door handles to have both interior and exterior mechanical releases.
Chinese car models already approved for launch will have an additional two years to achieve compliance, the ministry said.
The new regulations will “improve the level of automotive safety design”, it added.
Safety concerns have risen in China recently over sleek, aerodynamic car doors that reduce drag but are prone to losing operability in the event of a crash.
One high-profile incident occurred in October, when rescuers were shown failing to open the doors of a burning Xiaomi electric vehicle in the southwestern city of Chengdu.
The driver, reported to be under the influence of alcohol, died in the crash.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-ban-hidden-car-door-handles-2027-electric-vehicles-5902881
