China Bans Retractable Door Handles

China has banned the use of power-operated retractable door handles from January 1, 2027 following an investigation by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Manufacturers use retractable door handles both for cleaner styling and to reduce drag, therefore improving fuel consumption or battery range, but there have been numerous reports of first responders being unable to gain access to a vehicle after a crash.

The MIIT’s legislation dictates that any exterior door (bar the tailgate) requires a cavity measuring at least 6cm x 2cm by 2.5cm for a mechanical door handle and the interior door handle must be accompanied by an instruction label of at least 1cm by 0.7cm.

While the new regulations will take effect from the beginning of 2027, any vehicles that have already been approved will have until January 1, 2029 to comply.

It’s not yet clear whether other markets will follow China’s lead in banning the technology, but regardless many manufacturers will be facing expensive redesigns.

Many Chinese manufacturers such as BYD, Deepal, Zeekr and XPeng use hidden door handles, but it’s also common in high-end European luxury brands like BMW, Polestar and Range Rover just to name a few.

It’s currently unclear whether the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, which use hidden handles that are popped out using a lever action rather than electronics, will be affected.

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