Nearly three million Teslas recalled in China over hidden door handles
Source: BBC World ↗ (cross-verified by 2 outlets — full list below)
Minimalistic retractable door handles became a signature feature of electric vehicles (EVs), but the controversial designs are now at the centre of China's biggest car recall, affecting more than 4 million vehicles. The recall, which includes 2.98 million Chinese-made Teslas, follows safety concerns that the hidden door handles are difficult to locate and open in emergency situations. Other brands affected by the recall include Chinese carmakers XPeng, Xiaomi and Geely. Made popular by multi-billionaire Elon Musk's Tesla, hidden door handles are designed to tuck seamlessly within the car's door panel and only extend outwards when an owner approaches their vehicle. 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 being opened.
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 a vehicle's 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. The use of the hidden handle design has "snowballed" after Chinese brands were quick to copy the "sleek" look of Tesla's Model S sedan since 2014, said Tu Le, the founder of consultancy Sino Auto Insights.
The use of warning labels and a software update is more of a "band-aid" than a lasting solution for the issue, he added. 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 the cars. In July, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggested creating a new formal safety standard for all carmakers.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶International capital can shift direction faster than headlines suggest.
- ▶Cross-border money flows can quietly change direction after events like this.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Family budgets close to home might absorb a small, slow-moving effect.
- ▶Your weekly shop may get a touch dearer, or cheaper, down the line.
🏦Rates & Bankslow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Central banks watch moments like this closely, so keep an eye on savings rates.
- ▶Savers might glance at their account rate — lenders adjust after big events.
❤️Healthlow impact
What this means for you
- ▶The strain, if any, tends to show up gradually in everyday life.
- ▶A little perspective usually helps once the initial shock fades.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Nest eggs can wobble briefly before finding their footing again.
- ▶It's a reasonable moment to check your investments are still on track.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶The housing market has a habit of lagging behind the headlines.
- ▶First-time buyers watching the market closely might see little change in the short term.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.