Retractable door handles have become a defining design feature of modern electric vehicles, especially those made by Tesla. According to Mashable, the handles are at the center of new safety restrictions after being linked to fatal accidents. The design can make it difficult for drivers or first responders to open doors during emergency situations.
What's happening?
China is making plans to ban Tesla-style retractable door handles on new vehicles sold in the country, Mashable reported. According to draft rules released by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, vehicles weighing under 3.5 tons must include interior and exterior door handles with mechanical emergency releases. The rule would effectively prohibit electronic-only or flush-mounted retractable handles that rely on the car's power. The ban is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
The policy applies to all automakers operating in China, including domestic manufacturers. Every Tesla uses retractable handles, meaning the company will need to redesign its vehicles' handles to continue selling them in China.
Why are safety regulations important?
Bloomberg noted that at least 15 deaths were tied to situations wherein Tesla doors failed to open after crashes. Some vehicles lost battery power, leaving occupants unable to exit and first responders unable to gain access without breaking windows. It's also difficult to locate or operate the manual emergency releases during high-stress moments.
"You're in a box that's on fire and you can't get out," Kevin Clouse, who was trapped in his Model 3 following a 2023 crash in Georgia, told Bloomberg.
Tesla's reported safety issues aren't limited to door handles. U.S. regulators opened an investigation into the company's Full Self-Driving system after at least 736 crashes and 17 fatalities since its creation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would review the scope of the problem across the millions of vehicles that have the system.
In Norway, driving schools are banning Teslas as learners cars because they lack traditional turn signal stalks. Instructors say the force-touch buttons are hard for new drivers to operate safely.
What's being done about EV safety?
Despite the safety concerns about EV door handles, the data paints a more complex picture, according to Mashable. The National Transportation Safety Board said electric vehicle fires occur less frequently than fires involving gas-powered cars. And, according to Reuters, multiple lifecycle studies have found that EVs and hybrids generally produce less pollution than conventional cars over their lifetimes, even when accounting for their batteries and production.
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