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, will take effect from January 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.
The new rules stipulate that all doors except the tailgate “shall be equipped with a mechanical release exterior door handle”.
Other rules will improve visibility of interior handles, including by requiring permanent graphic markings, the ministry said.
China is the world’s largest EV market, and its dozens of brands have growing operations abroad.
Statistics published last month showed that Chinese firm BYD last year sold more EVs than Tesla, overtaking the US industry pioneer in the annual category for the first time.
Electronic or “flush” door handles were introduced to the EV industry with Tesla’s 2012 launch of the Model S.
Folding into the body of the car, such door handles provide a slight boost to efficiency by reducing drag while the vehicle is in motion.
