Let’s talk about retractable door handles.
Such door handles, a common EV feature, carry significant downsides. Industry figures indicate electronic handles cost roughly three times more than conventional mechanical units yet fail at about eight times the rate.
One leading new energy vehicle maker claimed handle faults account for 12% of all repair cases, with many requiring replacement of the entire module, driving up service bills.
Such door handles also pose safety concerns: after a crash, fire or power loss, electrically actuated exterior and interior releases may not operate, delaying rescue and trapping occupants. Critics said the feature’s marginal aerodynamic benefit is outweighed by reliability risks and life-safety implications.
In light of such glaring weaknesses posed by retractable door handles, China is reportedly seeking to ban such car door handles.
Chinese regulators are preparing to ban them on safety grounds, in a move that could reshape exterior design across new energy vehicles (NEVs).
An R&D source told Chinese news outlet Mingjing Pro that draft rules are being finalised this month to prohibit fully retractable handles, while allowing traditional and semi-retractable designs that include mechanical back-up.
A one-year transition is proposed, with enforcement targeted for July 2027.
Some carmakers already favour compromise solutions.
Volkswagen uses semi-retractable handles, while FAW–Audi’s latest A5L and Q6L e-tron add micro-switches and a collision-activated red pull cord to provide an external mechanical release.
Great Wall Motor chairman Wei Jianjun has criticised hidden handles as heavy, noisy and power-dependent.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology began revising mandatory “Safety Technical Requirements for Automobile Door Handles” in May 2025, signalling a broader safety push.
Regulators are also reviewing cockpit trends.
From 2026, Euro NCAP will withhold five stars from cars that bury critical functions like indicators and wipers in touchscreens without physical controls.
