Sleek, hidden door handles have become a famous feature of modern electric cars, but they are now at the center of a major recall in China. Tesla is recalling nearly three million vehicles because passengers could get trapped inside after a severe crash.
The massive recall affects more than four million electric vehicles in total. Along with 2.98 million Chinese-made Teslas, cars from other popular brands such as XPeng, Xiaomi, and Geely are also included. The recall follows safety concerns after two fatal accidents in China involving Xiaomi electric cars, where power failures prevented doors from being opened.
Tesla said that the door handles on some of its Model 3, Y, S, and X vehicles are difficult to identify and use because their color matches the interior trim. In a serious collision, if the vehicle loses electrical power, occupants may not be able to open the doors quickly to escape, and rescuers outside could be blocked from helping them.
To address the issue, carmakers will place warning labels on interior doors and release a software update to automatically lower windows during a collision. However, China is going further by banning hidden door handles starting in January 2027. Under the new rules, all new cars sold in China must have mechanical door releases on both the inside and outside. Safety regulators in the United States are also reviewing whether to require similar emergency exit rules.