In brief
China has announced a record‑breaking recall of 2.98 million Tesla vehicles built for its domestic market, citing hidden door handles that are difficult to locate and open in emergencies. The recall also covers several Chinese brands—including XPeng, Xiaomi and Geely—whose electric cars use the same retractable design. The incident follows fatal crashes involving Xiaomi EVs and raises concerns for U.S. regulators, who are investigating similar malfunctions that could trap occupants. Chinese authorities plan to ban hidden door handles from 1 January 2027, requiring both internal and external mechanical releases. Tesla will add warning labels and offer a software update to lower windows after collisions, but whether a global recall will follow remains unclear.
The recall, which includes 2.98 million Chinese‑made Teslas, follows safety concerns that the hidden door handles are difficult to locate and open in emergency situations.
Other brands affected by the recall include Chinese‑maker XPeng, Xiaomi and Geely.
Made popular by multi‑millionaire Elon Musk’s Tesla, hidden door handles are designed to tuck seamlessly within the car’s door panel and only extend outwards when a driver approaches.
The design came under scrutiny after two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs, in which power failures were suspected to have prevented doors from being opened.
Tesla said the recall covers Model 3, Y, S and X vehicles and that door handles are “difficult to identify and operate because their colour is similar to the interior trim.”
The problem could hinder occupants or rescuers from quickly opening the doors in an emergency, such as during a severe collision that causes the vehicle’s low‑voltage system to fail.
Tesla will place warning labels on the recalled vehicles and issue a software update to automatically lower a vehicle’s windows after a collision.
It is not yet clear if the affected firms plan to make a similar recall for the rest of the world.
In February, Chinese authorities announced a ban on hidden door handles, effective 1 January 2027, requiring cars sold in China to have a mechanical release on both the inside and outside of their doors.
The Tesla door handles were also involved in a probe by U.S. safety regulators after reports that they intermittently stopped working, leaving children trapped in the cars.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggested creating a new formal safety standard for all carmakers in July.
