China no longer wants hidden door handles on cars: it is starting to withdraw models that have them

Some time ago we learned that China intended to withdraw from the market models that use hidden door handles. They have been responsible for several accidents because the door could not be opened in an emergency, and they are problematic when the door needs to be opened. For this reason, it had planned to withdraw the models that had this feature by 2027.

But the withdrawal has started earlier than expected, and many cars will not be able to be sold with this type of retractable handle. Eleven manufacturers are already removing this system from their new models. For the moment, the measure affects 4.3 million units already on the market, which will have to resolve this problem in order to comply with the new legislation.

The reason is that emergency services are having serious problems accessing the opening system, and this hinders the rescue of the occupants of the vehicle. If the electrical system fails after an accident, it is necessary to access the mechanical opening system, and if it cannot be located easily, it can be a problem.

Some manufacturers are testing other systems that could offset this problem. Tesla has proposed adding warning labels on the opening systems, together with a software update that will lower the windows in the event of an accident. This will allow occupants to get out without problems and emergency services to access the cabin.

But Tesla is not the only company affected, since Xiaomi is going to withdraw some 390,000 vehicles. Leapmotor plans to withdraw around 371,000 units and XPENG puts the affected vehicles at 264,000. Geely will also take action, as will other brands, in a more restrained way. Nine of the affected companies are going to include warning labels and software changes to fix this problem.

Everything is set so that from 2027 onwards no more cars with retractable door handles will be manufactured, in the name of greater safety in electric cars. This decision may cross China’s borders and reach the rest of the markets. So we are sure to have news about this soon.