Especially EV models are equipped with automatic doors that use electric power and can be opened with a button. But China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will ban the use of concealed car doors starting January 1, 2027. At the same time, every vehicle weighing less than 3.5 tons must have mechanical emergency door openers inside and outside starting on the same date.
The new draft issued on December 16 is a follow-up to a notice published last October by the same ministry to collect feedback from manufacturers in China.
In accidents involving EVs, the electrical power is cut off and passengers are trapped inside the vehicle. The emergency mechanical system is hidden and there have been several cases of passengers burning to death.
Electric doors with concealed handles also do not allow people outside to open the door to rescue victims. In the United States, Tesla has been sued for claiming that the Cybertruck door could not be opened after an accident that caused passengers to burn to death. .
China is the world's largest EV market at a time when government regulations are set to bring major changes to vehicle designs in the near future. To continue to market in China, other manufacturers such as Tesla and Hyundai will have to comply with local authorities' requirements.
