Overview
- The draft standard mandates interior and exterior mechanical releases on passenger vehicles under 3.5 tonnes starting January 1, 2027, with operation specified regardless of battery status or temperature and defined hand space and placement.
- Provisions call for exterior doors to be mechanically openable after a collision without tools and for at least one visible, power-independent interior release per door with standardized markings and performance testing.
- Reported implementation windows include about 13 months for certain placement rules on newly approved models and 25 months for vehicles already on sale, with core safety requirements applying immediately.
- The change effectively ends electric-only retractable handles on new models in China, forcing redesigns at brands that use them widely, notably Tesla as well as makers such as BYD and Zeekr.
- Market reaction was swift as Tesla shares fell about 2.7% on Monday trading, and regulators abroad, including U.S. agencies and ANCAP, are scrutinizing post-crash door operability.