China to ban electric door handles from 2027: reason - fatal accidents.

According to Korrespondent.net: China plans to ban electric retractable door handles from 2027, which have become popular in modern electric vehicles, particularly in models from Tesla and BYD. This decision was made after several fatal accidents where passengers and rescuers were unable to open the car doors after collisions due to power failure.

New requirements for vehicles

According to the new regulations, all passenger cars weighing up to 3.5 tons must be equipped with internal and external door handles with a mechanical drive. These handles are required to ensure access to the doors even if the power supply completely fails or the body is severely damaged. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China published the draft of the corresponding changes at the end of December.

Improvements for emergency services

The new rules aim to simplify the work of emergency services, which are increasingly facing difficulties when evacuating victims from electric vehicles after accidents. Electric or button-operated handles often become blocked after a collision, significantly complicating access to the cabin.

Tragedies on the roads

Several tragedies have made headlines. For instance, on October 13 in Chengdu, several passengers died because bystanders were unable to open the car doors after an accident. Another accident with three fatalities recently occurred in Tunlin. In both cases, the vehicles in question were electric sedans by Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. The internal mechanical handles in these cars were inconspicuous, and rescuers were unable to reach them even after the glass was broken.

Global consequences of the ban

The ban in China may have serious consequences for the automotive industry worldwide. China has already outpaced Japan to become the largest exporter of cars, so a ban on such types of handles in the domestic market will lead to changes in the export models of Chinese brands. Western automakers supplying cars to China will also need to adapt their designs to the new standards in order to streamline production and meet safety requirements.

Thus, the innovations in China may mark a new phase in ensuring vehicle safety, especially in cases of accidents. It is important that such changes not only enhance safety standards but also be successfully implemented in other countries, given the increasing use of electric vehicles worldwide.