China Is Banning Retractable Car Door Handles (For A Good Reason)

New regulations in China may have a global impact on electric vehicles (EVs). For those with EV experience, you may have already seen how some vehicles can have handles that hide themselves inside the door until a driver nears it. While this feature can add a bit of futuristic flair and some spec boosts to your car, China is aiming to address how the retractable handles can be a safety hazard in the event of an emergency. This news comes after Bloomberg reported such problems in September 2025.

Door handles that become flush with a vehicle can fail in the event of a crash or if the vehicle experiences battery failure, making it difficult for emergency services to open a car door when needed. Now, vehicle manufacturers in China will no longer be able to implement recessed or flush door handles within vehicles, and automakers will also have to follow several other rules concerning these mechanisms. While the new laws affect gas-powered cars as well, EVs are expected to be more impacted by the new regulations.

With China being the world's largest EV market, it's possible that these new regulations may hold global influence, as manufacturers working with various countries will now need to decide whether to only follow China's guidelines within that region or implement the changes for all released vehicles. 

The world of EVs has certainly experienced its fair share of hiccups. From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) getting involved after a Waymo driverless car hit a child to the aforementioned issues with Tesla, it isn't always smooth sailing for the constantly-evolving tech. Now, China is working to address the latter problem.

Announced February 2, 2026, by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the new law takes effect January 1, 2027. Vehicles manufactured in China that have already received approval to launch have two years to come into compliance. The new law explicitly states that door handles on vehicles require exterior and interior mechanical releases and must have at least 60mm by 20mm of recessed space behind each door handle. The ministry is also imposing additional rules– including ways to improve door handle visibility, such as clear instructions on how to work them being displayed in a vehicle's interior.

Flush door handles saw a rise in the automotive space starting in 2012 with the Tesla Model S — though this model is one of two being eliminated by the company as they focus more on autonomous robots. While not without their issues, recessed door handles are slightly more efficient for reducing drag. Naturally, if you really love the look of them, you can add them to your list of pros and cons when buying a used Tesla.