China is about to make a very visible change to how cars look and work. Starting in 2027, new vehicles sold there will no longer be allowed to use the sleek, retractable door handles that sit flush with the bodywork and pop out on demand. The move targets a design trend popularized by electric brands and now spreading across the industry, and it puts safety ahead of styling in a way that could ripple far beyond one market.
For drivers who have grown used to tapping or tugging at a smooth strip of metal to open a door, the shift will feel dramatic. For regulators, it is a response to mounting evidence that those same futuristic handles can fail at the worst possible moment, trapping people inside crashed or powerless cars. The ban is a reminder that even small pieces of hardware can carry big stakes when they sit between passengers and a quick escape.
Why China is turning against flush handles
The new rules come from a country that has spent the past decade turning itself into the world’s largest auto and EV market, and that scale gives any regulatory tweak global weight. Officials in China have decided that hidden handles are no longer an acceptable trade off between aesthetics and safety, especially on fast growing electric fleets. The decision follows high profile criticism of designs used on Tesla’s electric vehicles and other EV models, which rely on powered mechanisms or unfamiliar motions that can confuse rescuers or fail in a crash.
Regulators have zeroed in on the way some handles sit flush until an electronic system tells them to extend, a setup that can be vulnerable if the vehicle loses power. In one widely cited case, the handle of a Tesla was reported to have failed after a crash or a battery failure, a scenario that helped fuel concern about hidden electric hardware. Safety officials argue that in a panic, people need something obvious to grab, not a guessing game about where to press or swipe.
The 2027 rules and who gets hit first
The ban is not a vague guideline, it is a formal regulation that will apply to new models from the start of 2027, giving automakers a narrow window to redesign their doors. China’s Ministry of Industry has set out the change as part of a broader safety push that covers both electric and internal combustion vehicles. Existing cars will not be yanked off the road, but manufacturers will have to adjust future production if they want to keep selling into the world’s most competitive car market.
The impact will be immediate for brands that leaned hardest into the flush look. Vehicles including Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3, BMW’s iX3 and other models by many Chinese brands use retractable handles that now fall squarely in the crosshairs. Makers will have to swap them for more traditional hardware or come up with new designs that stay visible and grabbable even when the car is powered down.
From viral explainers to global pressure
Once regulators made their move, the story quickly jumped from technical bulletin to viral talking point. In HONG KONG, coverage highlighted that China is the first major market to outlaw the feature outright, a notable step given how many Tesla models rely on it. On social platforms, CNN’s Mike Valerio broke down why China will ban hidden or electric handles on all cars beginning in 2027, turning a niche design debate into a mainstream safety conversation.
Traditional outlets have framed the move as a response to growing safety fears, with one analysis bluntly noting that hidden and electric handles have been linked to deadly crashes. Another report stressed that car boots can still use concealed releases, but doors that people rely on to escape cannot, a distinction spelled out in guidance to Car owners and buyers. The tone is clear: style is fine, as long as it does not slow down an emergency exit.
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