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 concealable car doors starting January 1, 2027. The original announcement was made at the end of last December, but now the guidelines that vehicle manufacturers must follow have been published.
Starting January 1, 2027, all cars in China must have mechanisms on the inside and outside of the doors. On the outside of the door, a minimum recess of 6×2×2.5 cm must exist for the handle to be accessible. On the inside, there must be an instruction sign of at least 1×0.7 cm showing how the door can be opened. Car models that have been approved but not yet marketed have been given a two-year extension to modify the design of door handles
In accidents involving EVs, the electrical power is cut off and passengers are trapped in the vehicle. The emergency mechanical systems included are hidden and there have been several cases of passengers burning to death.
The electric doors with hidden handles also prevent people from opening them to rescue victims. In the United States, Tesla has been sued for claiming that the Cybertruck doors cannot be opened after a crash that left passengers burned to death. .
China is the world’s largest EV market at a time when government orders are set to bring major changes to vehicle designs in the near future. To continue to sell in China, other manufacturers such as Tesla and Hyundai will have to comply with local authorities’ requirements.
