China plans to ban hidden door handles in cars, commonly used in many electric vehicle models sold in the country, due to safety concerns. The new decision, announced on Monday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, will take effect from January 1, 2027. The ministry stated that Chinese car models that have received market approval will be granted an additional two years to comply with the regulation. It is required that all car doors include a mechanical opening mechanism for the handles, except for the rear hatch door. Other rules will be introduced to improve the visibility of internal door handles, such as the requirement for permanent graphic markings on them. Recently, safety concerns regarding streamlined car doors, which reduce air resistance but are prone to malfunctioning in accidents, have been growing in China. Last October, rescuers failed to open the doors of a Xiaomi electric car that was on fire in the city of Chengdu in southwest China. The driver died, trapped inside the vehicle. China is the world's largest electric car market, and dozens of Chinese brands are expanding their activities abroad.
