China grounded first the Boeing 737 back in 2019 and other countries followed. After that pressure the software issue was uncovered and Boeing had no choice but go public on the issue.
This time, people burned to death in China because would-be rescuers could not open the doors after a crash because…no working door handles.
The new regulations were published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday, and now require cars sold in China to feature a mechanical release for the door on both the inside and the outside. The rule goes into effect on January 1, 2027, although vehicles that have already been approved for sale in China and are about to launch have been granted a bit of leeway and will not have to change their designs until January 2029.
The ban covers two separate types of hidden door handles. Those with a press-to-release design, where you push in on one end to make the handle pop out, as seen on the Tesla Model Y, are no longer allowed. China is also putting a stop to handles that are electrically powered and extend from the body on their own, such as those on the Kia EV9.
For semi-hidden handles, where the handle itself sits flush with the bodywork but has a carve out below in which to insert your fingers, the rule specifies that there must be a recessed space at least 2.4 inches by 0.8 inch where a person’s hand can grab the handle. The law also required cars to have signage inside the vehicle to indicate how to open the door.
The move comes after several incidents in China, including two instances where Xiaomi SU7 EVs crashed, caught on fire, and experienced power failures, preventing people outside the vehicle from opening the doors and saving those inside. While the new regulations only pertain to EVs sold in China, they could have a broader effect, since China is the world’s largest automotive market.
Cars are the epitome of global standardization. I doubt car makers do 2 versions of cars, one for China and one for the rest of the world. So, the China standard has potential to become a global standard.
For the used EV market, what will happen with older EVs with flush door handles? Will consumers see them as “death traps”? I’d expect that to happen in higher income countries where people changes cars regularly. Give me the new shinny car, bye bye legacy EV and it’s someone else’s problem.
Also, this is just another sign that Chinese car makers and government want to win globally. How to do it? Improve consumer perception by not hiding ugly stuff under the carpet.
PS. it’s the Xiaomi SU7, a nice looking sedan. Well, lab test rats, errrr…enthusiastic early adopters served their purpose. The 2nd iteration might be more interesting.
