In a notable regulatory action, China has banned hidden door handles on electric vehicles (EVs), marking the first instance of such a prohibition globally. This decision comes in response to safety concerns following several tragic incidents, including two deadly crashes involving Xiaomi EVs where power failures were suspected to hinder door accessibility.
Starting January 1, 2027, the new regulations will require all passenger doors to be equipped with mechanical releases both inside and outside the vehicle. Each door, excluding the boot, must feature a recessed space measuring at least 6cm by 2cm by 2.5cm for easy access to the handles. Additionally, there must be signs inside the vehicle indicating how to open the doors, measuring no less than 1cm by 0.7cm.
Cars that have already received approval and are in the final stages of entering the Chinese market will have until 2029 to adjust their designs. Currently, hidden handles are commonplace, found in approximately 60% of the top 100 best-selling new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China.
While these measures apply specifically to the Chinese market, China's immense role in the global car industry suggests that this ruling could reverberate worldwide. Notably, Tesla's hidden door handles are already under scrutiny by U.S. safety regulators, with complaints arising about their functionality in certain models. This situation underscores the potential for a broader impact as safety and design norms evolve in response to these regulatory changes.
Starting January 1, 2027, the new regulations will require all passenger doors to be equipped with mechanical releases both inside and outside the vehicle. Each door, excluding the boot, must feature a recessed space measuring at least 6cm by 2cm by 2.5cm for easy access to the handles. Additionally, there must be signs inside the vehicle indicating how to open the doors, measuring no less than 1cm by 0.7cm.
Cars that have already received approval and are in the final stages of entering the Chinese market will have until 2029 to adjust their designs. Currently, hidden handles are commonplace, found in approximately 60% of the top 100 best-selling new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China.
While these measures apply specifically to the Chinese market, China's immense role in the global car industry suggests that this ruling could reverberate worldwide. Notably, Tesla's hidden door handles are already under scrutiny by U.S. safety regulators, with complaints arising about their functionality in certain models. This situation underscores the potential for a broader impact as safety and design norms evolve in response to these regulatory changes.
