China to Ban Electric Door Handles in New Cars
The Chinese authorities have required car manufacturers to equip all new passenger cars with mechanical door handles. The new requirements will come into effect from 2027 and apply to cars weighing up to 3.5 tons.
What is Known
According to the decree of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, doors must open mechanically both externally and internally even when the car is completely out of power or after a severe accident. The measure aims to simplify passenger evacuation and rescue teams' access to the cabin.
The decision was made after a series of fatal accidents in which the failure of electrical systems blocked the doors. Examples include incidents in Chengdu and Tongling with the Xiaomi SU7 electric car: eyewitnesses were unable to open the doors after the impact, and the emergency mechanism was hidden and difficult to access.
The new rules apply to retractable and button-operated electric door handles widely used by Tesla, BYD, and Xiaomi. Previously, such solutions were promoted to improve aerodynamics and a slight increase in range — about 0.6 kWh per 100 km.
Given China's status as the largest automobile exporter, it is expected that the new requirements will also affect the global automotive industry. Chinese brands are likely to standardize designs for domestic and foreign markets, and Western car manufacturers may revise their platforms to comply with Chinese standards.
Source: Carscoops
