China Moves to Mandate Mechanical Door Handles on Cars

China’s industry ministry plans new safety rules requiring mechanical door releases on cars from 2027, raising questions for EV designs. Read the details inside

China is preparing to reshape vehicle safety rules by focusing on one of the most basic — yet critical — elements of a car: the ability to open its doors after a crash. The country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has released draft requirements that put fully electronic and retractable door handles under serious scrutiny.

The concern is rooted in post-crash scenarios. When a collision disables a vehicle’s power supply or damages its wiring, electronically actuated doors may fail to open from either inside or outside. In such cases, passengers can lose valuable time during evacuation, while emergency responders may struggle to access the cabin.

Under the proposed standard, vehicles would be required to retain a mechanical means of opening doors. This goes beyond the hidden interior emergency releases already found in some electric vehicles and extends to exterior door handles capable of operating without electrical power. The draft also addresses issues such as clear labeling of emergency mechanisms, structural strength, anti-pinch protection, and door behavior after an impact.

The debate is most visible around electric vehicles with flush-mounted handles — a design popularized by Tesla and adopted by several other manufacturers. While many of these cars technically include manual releases, regulators and safety experts increasingly question whether those systems are sufficiently obvious and usable under stress.

According to reports from German automotive outlets, the rules are expected to follow a transition period after public consultation, with enforcement anticipated in 2027, most often cited as mid-year. Automakers therefore still have time to revise their designs, but the regulatory direction is becoming clear.

As the world’s largest electric vehicle market, China’s stance carries global weight. At the same time, U.S. regulators are also examining complaints related to hidden or unintuitive emergency door releases. Together, these developments suggest a broader shift in priorities — away from purely aesthetic innovations and toward solutions that favor clarity and reliability when safety is at stake.