More than 4 million electric vehicles will be recalled in China as part of the largest campaign of its kind in the country’s history. The reason is safety issues involving hidden door handles, while 2.98 million of the affected vehicles are Chinese-made Teslas.
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The models involved also include vehicles from Chinese manufacturers XPeng, Xiaomi and Geely. Tesla said that some versions of the Model 3, Y, S and X have handles that are difficult to identify and use because their color is similar to that of the interior trim.
The problem can become particularly dangerous after a serious collision, when the power supply is cut off. In such circumstances, passengers may be unable to open the doors, while rescue teams may encounter difficulties during intervention.
Vehicles affected by the measure will have warning labels placed on the inside of the doors. They will also receive an electronic update that will automatically lower the windows after an accident.
Hidden door handles came under scrutiny following two fatal accidents involving Xiaomi vehicles in China. It is suspected that the loss of electrical power prevented the doors from being opened. According to experts, the labels and software update are only temporary measures.
Chinese authorities have decided that, starting from January 1, 2027, fully hidden door handles will no longer be allowed. New vehicles will have to be equipped with manual mechanisms for opening doors, both from the inside and the outside.
It is not yet known whether Tesla and other manufacturers will extend this recall to markets outside China. Meanwhile, Tesla vehicle door handles are also under investigation in the United States, following reports that several children had become trapped inside cars.
