China's biggest car recall, affecting more than 4 million vehicles, centers on the hidden door handles that have become a signature feature of electric vehicles (EVs). The recall includes 2.98 million Chinese-made Teslas, following safety concerns that the handles are difficult to locate and open in emergency situations. Other brands affected include Chinese carmakers XPeng, Xiaomi, and Geely.
Made popular by Elon Musk's Tesla, hidden door handles are designed to tuck seamlessly into the car's door panel and only extend when the 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 opening.
Tesla said in a statement on Friday that it was recalling some of its Model 3, Y, S, and X vehicles due to door handles that are "difficult to identify and operate because their colour is similar to the interior trim." This could hinder occupants or rescuers from quickly opening the doors in an emergency, such as during a "severe collision causing the vehicle's low-voltage system to fail." Tesla said it will place warning labels on the recalled vehicles and issue a software update to automatically lower windows after a collision.
It is not clear if the affected firms plan to make a similar recall for the rest of the world. The BBC has contacted Tesla, XPeng, Xiaomi, and Geely for comment.
In February, Chinese authorities announced a ban on hidden door handles. Under new rules due to take effect on 1 January 2027, cars will only be allowed to be sold in China if they have a mechanical release on both the inside and outside of their doors.
Tesla's door handles were also involved in a probe by US safety regulators after reports that they suddenly stopped working, leaving children trapped in cars. In July, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggested creating a new formal safety standard for all carmakers. The BBC has contacted the agency for comment.