China Orders Massive Recall of Nearly 3 Million Teslas Over Emergency Door Handle Concerns
The unprecedented recall, affecting over 4 million vehicles including models from XPeng and Xiaomi, highlights growing safety scrutiny of minimalist EV designs.
China has launched its most extensive vehicle recall to date, encompassing over four million electric vehicles (EVs), with nearly three million Chinese-made Teslas at the center of the safety directive. The unprecedented move targets the minimalist, retractable door handles that have become a hallmark feature of modern EVs, citing significant concerns about their functionality during emergency situations.
The recall specifically includes 2.98 million Tesla Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles manufactured in China. Other prominent domestic automakers such as XPeng, Xiaomi, and Geely are also affected by the regulatory action. The core issue revolves around the hidden door handles, popularized by Elon Musk's Tesla, which are designed to sit flush with the car's body and extend only when the driver approaches.
This design choice has come under intense scrutiny following two fatal crashes involving Xiaomi EVs in China, where power failures were suspected to have prevented occupants from opening the doors. Tesla acknowledged the problem in a statement on Friday, indicating that the door handles on the recalled vehicles are "difficult to identify and operate because their colour is similar to the interior trim." This similarity, they noted, could impede occupants or rescuers from swiftly opening doors during an emergency, particularly in a "severe collision causing the vehicle's low-voltage system to fail."
To address the safety hazard, Tesla has committed to implementing warning labels on the affected vehicles and issuing a software update designed to automatically lower a vehicle's windows after a collision. While the recall applies to cars sold in China, it remains unclear whether the affected manufacturers intend to initiate similar recalls for their vehicles in other global markets.
Beyond the immediate recall, Chinese authorities have taken broader regulatory steps, announcing a ban on hidden door handles in February. Under new rules slated to take effect on January 1, 2027, all cars sold in China must incorporate a mechanical release mechanism on both the interior and exterior of their doors, ensuring manual operation regardless of power status.
The safety of Tesla's door handles has also been a subject of investigation by US safety regulators, following reports of them unexpectedly failing and trapping children inside vehicles. In July, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggested the creation of a new formal safety standard for all automakers. These global discussions on EV safety are particularly relevant for Kenya and East Africa, as the region increasingly embraces electric mobility. Enhanced international safety standards will be crucial for ensuring consumer confidence and well-being as EV adoption grows across the continent.
This report includes details first published by BBC News.