The Anonymous Widower

Nearly Three Million Teslas Recalled In China Over Hidden Door Handles

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Minimalistic 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.

These three paragraphs add some more details.

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.

The recalled vehicles will have a warning label stuck on the interior door and receive a software update to automatically lower the windows in a crash.

I remember reading a story in Flight International.

• An engineer, who worked in airliner interior design was in a Boeing 737 (?), that made a heavy landing.
• He was also sitting by the emergency exit.
• The emergency exit worked as it should and he was able to climb out on to the wing.
• He then helped other passengers get out the way he had.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the magazine any more. But he felt that it might result in better design.

The principles that aircraft designers work to would appear to be much higher than those of Tesla’s car designers.

I find the idea of a hidden door handle completely stupid.

August 24, 2026 - Posted by AnonW | Design, Transport/Travel | Air Accidents, Aviation, Battery-Electric Vehicles, Boeing 737, China, Design Crime, Tesla