Tesla is recalling about 2.98 million China-made and imported EVs in China over door-handle safety risks, China’s state administration for market regulation said Friday. The Tesla China vehicle recall door handles action covers Model 3, Model Y, Model X and Model S vehicles.
The regulator said the handles could be a problem in extreme situations, including a severe collision that causes an electrical system failure. In those cases, the car handles could hinder people inside from opening the doors quickly to escape and could prevent rescuers outside from getting access.
Cui Dongshu and Tesla
Cui Dongshu, head of the China Passenger Car Association, called the recall “an inevitable step” and said automakers were being “being responsible” as they moved toward a more reliable, safety-first approach. He also said, “This represents, in part, the growing pains of the industry. At the same time, however, this move signifies a policy-driven safety upgrade,”
Tesla will perform software updates on the vehicles to mitigate the risk. That fix points to a short-term response inside the car’s control system, while the underlying design issue remains part of the wider shift now under way in China.
China’s state administration for market regulation
The recall lands amid wider scrutiny of hidden, or flush, door handles on EVs in China after accidents in China and elsewhere involving hidden electronic doors. Chinese authorities said in February that they would ban hidden car door handles starting next year, and People’s Daily said the large-scale recall “serves as a unified safety upgrade” ahead of the 2027 implementation of the ban on hidden car door handles.
People’s Daily also said, “For the rapidly evolving NEV (new energy vehicle) industry, competition should be defined not only by the pace of technological innovation but also by the high standards set for safety,”
Xiaomi said Friday that it was recalling more than 390,000 vehicles in China, and Leapmotor said it was recalling over 370,000 cars. Geely and XPENG are also recalling some vehicles in China, adding to the broader safety action around hidden door handles.
For Tesla owners in China, the practical step is simple: the company says software updates are coming, and the recall now puts the door-handle design itself under a deadline shaped by next year’s ban.
