Tesla and eight other automakers announced the largest automotive recall in Chinese history on Friday, pulling back a combined 4.3 million vehicles over emergency door-access safety concerns.
The core issue: mechanical emergency door-release handles may be difficult to locate or operate after a severe collision causes electrical system failure, potentially trapping passengers inside — a scenario that has drawn intense scrutiny after cases of people unable to exit burning vehicles. Chinese state media reported last year that a Xiaomi SU7 driver died after a crash and fire because passersby could not open the doors.
Tesla accounts for the largest share — 2.98 million imported and China-made Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles, to be recalled from September 25. Xiaomi will recall about 390,000 vehicles, Leapmotor about 371,000, and Xpeng about 264,000.
Remedies range from warning labels to identify emergency handles, to over-the-air software updates. Tesla's fix includes an automatic window-lowering feature after collisions, alongside warning stickers.
In a significant regulatory signal, China has announced it will ban concealed door handles — the flush, touch-sensitive design popularized by Tesla and widely adopted by domestic EV makers — starting in 2027, making it the first country to do so.
The recall reflects China's increasingly aggressive safety oversight of its EV industry as automakers, locked in a fierce price war, race to deploy new technologies in the world's largest vehicle market.
