On Monday (February 2, 2026), China’s ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT) issued regulations requiring cars sold in the country to have a mechanical release for the door on both the inside and outside of the vehicle.
This effectively means the end for hidden door handles, including those that are electrically powered or pop out by pressing on one end of the handle. These designs are popular among automakers to improve the range of EVs by creating a more slippery body for improved aerodynamics.
The rules are very specific, stating that there must be a recessed space measuring at least 6 cm by 2 cm by 2.5 cm for a hand to grasp a handle, with the operating space for opening the door being not less than 30 cubic centimeters – semi-hidden door handles are still allowed. On the inside, car must have signage no smaller than 1 cm by 0.7 cm to indicate how to open the door. The locations of where the handles and signs should be placed are also mentioned in the regulations.
While the regulations affect China for now, it could leave a bigger impact on the automotive industry as the other countries may look to follow suit. The European Union (EU) are also looking to impose similar rules of their own, and Tesla’s doors are already being probed by safety officials in the United States.
According to Bloomberg as well as various China-based media outlets, the new regulations come after several high-profile accidents in China where the car doors of EVs apparently failed to open due to power outages, preventing occupants from escaping or being rescued.
China’s new regulations on door handles are set to go into effect on January 1, 2027, although vehicles that have already been approved for sale in China and are about to launch will have until January 2029 to have their designs changed for compliance.
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ban this ban that everything also want to ban even ban door handle, do you think this is commie ccp oh wait