Across China, nearly three million Teslas and over four million electric vehicles are being recalled because a design choice celebrated for its elegance — the hidden, flush door handle — has proven dangerous when it matters most: in a crash, when power fails, and escape becomes urgent. Two fatal accidents involving Xiaomi vehicles, where sealed doors could not be opened after electrical failure, moved regulators from concern to action. China has now banned the design outright, requiring mechanical door releases on all vehicles by January 2027 — a reminder that the aesthetics of the future must
China recalls 3M Teslas over hidden door handle safety risks
Two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs where power failures prevented doors from opening; reports of children trapped in Tesla vehicles in the US.