China: huge recall for 4.3 million cars due to flush handles

Rome – Elegant, clean, almost invisible. The body-level handles, already seen on the Chryslers of the 1950s and relaunched by Tesla with the Model S, have become one of the symbols of the electric car: less turbulence, more efficiency, more design. But now they end up at the center of the largest recall ever ordered in China.

The Beijing authorities have ordered interventions on around 4.3 million cars from nine manufacturers, starting with the cars made by the company founded by Elon Musk. The problem is not aesthetics, but safety: in the event of an accident and loss of power, the electronic opening of the doors may not work. At that point it becomes crucial to immediately find the mechanical emergency control, which is often hidden, poorly marked or confused with the internal coverings. There has been no shortage of accidents in the Land of the Dragon with dramatic results, so much so that the approval rules have also been addressed.

The largest part of the recalls concerns Tesla: almost 3 million models manufactured or imported in China. The manufacturer will have to place more prominent labels near manual releases and send an update to automatically roll down windows after a collision. No replacement of external handles. Several Chinese brands are also involved: Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, Zeekr, Chery, Dongfeng, BAIC and FAW. All forced to intervene between clearer signage and software that allows openings. From January 1, 2027, in China, internal and external mechanical openings must be recognisable. A change of rules that could also set a precedent in Europe. In the United States they are already thinking about it.