China has banned hidden door handles on electric vehicles (EVs), becoming the first country to outlaw the controversial designs that were first popularised by multi-billionaire Elon Musk's Tesla.
It comes as EVs are facing scrutiny from safety watchdogs around the world after a spate of deadly incidents, including two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs in which power failures were suspected to have prevented doors from opening.
Under the new regulations, cars sold in the country will be required to have mechanical release both on the inside and outside, according to state media.
The new rules are due to take effect on 1 January 2027.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology rules require the outside of every passenger door except the boot, to have a recessed space measuring no smaller than 6cm (2 in) by 2cm by 2.5cm to allow access to the handle.
