Finally the BAN on power operated flushed car door handles is ON
China has just officially moved to BAN hidden, electronically-actuated car door handles, a design feature popularised by Tesla and adopted by many electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers in recent years.
We have commented on this since our first ‘meeting’ with a power operated flushed door handle (like a power operated battery charging cover/flap on electric cars). But it has always fallen on deaf years as some car manufacturers say it’s a selling feature with new car buyers. Just like with power operated charging ports on premium electric cars. Imagine having a software or motor failure when parked at a charging point and your EV battery is below 5 percent?
What will you do? Pry open and break the flap? Call a two truck? Wait for the EV dealership to send a technician?
Meanwhile, lets get back to the current flushed door handle BAN in China. The new safety regulations were finalised by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on February 2, 2026 (yesterday).
This BAN on hidden door handles takes effect on January 1, 2027. meanwhile, existing vehicles already approved for sales have until January 2029 to update their designs to meet the new standards.
The ban specifically targets hidden and electronically-actuated handles that lack a direct mechanical fallback. It covers both “press-to-release” styles (like the Tesla Model Y) and motorised “pop-out” handles (like the Kia EV9).
To remain compliant, vehicles sold in China must meet several strict criteria starting with, every passenger door must have a mechanical release on both the interior and exterior that works even if the car’s electrical system fails.
Next, the exterior handles must have a recessed space of at least 2.4 inches by 0.8 inch (6cm x 2cm) so that a rescuer’s hand can physically grip and pull the handle (just like a regular vehicle door handle which has worked well for decades.
Then, the interior mechanical releases must be clearly marked so passengers can easily find them during an emergency and not be in a panic state looking for a way to open the door and rescue the passengers.
This BAN and crackdown follows a series of high-profile fatal accidents in which passengers were trapped inside burning or sinking vehicles because the electronic door locks failed and responders (emergency crew) could not open the flush-mounted handles from the outside.
Notable incidents include crashes involving the Xiaomi SU7and Tesla Model Y, where power failures reportedly hindered rescue efforts. Did you know that in September 2025 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigated around 174,000 Model Y SUVs from the 2021 model year after reports that electronic door handles may fail to operate.
While right now this is a domestic Chinese regulation, it is expected to set a global standard, as many automakers will likely adopt these designs worldwide to maintain manufacturing efficiency.
