24th August 2026 – (Beijing) Tesla, the American car manufacturer with a substantial production facility in Shanghai, has initiated a large-scale recall of around 46,000 imported Model 3, Model X and Model S vehicles in China. According to the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the affected models feature emergency mechanical door handles that are similar in colour to the vehicle’s interior, making them difficult to locate quickly during emergencies. In a situation where the vehicle’s low-voltage electrical system fails, such as after a severe collision, this design could hinder passengers’ ability to open the doors promptly, posing serious risks during escape or rescue attempts.
The Model 3, for instance, requires passengers to search within the compartment inside the door pocket to operate a release cable manually when opening the rear doors, which could present further challenges in critical moments. Alongside the imported vehicles, Tesla is separately recalling approximately 2.7 million domestically produced Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles owing to issues involving the monitoring of drivers utilising steering assist technologies. The announcement did not clarify whether any vehicles overlap between the two recall notices.
The recall action is part of a wider response in the industry, with several Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, including Xiaomi, XPeng, Geely, Chery and Leapmotor, also issuing recalls for models fitted with interior door handles that blend with vehicle interiors. Xiaomi commenced the recall of around 390,000 units from its SU7 series beginning last Friday, while XPeng initiated a recall for nearly 265,000 vehicles over the weekend. BAIC BluePark, a division of BAIC, began recalling approximately 46,000 Arcfox Kaola electric cars from 22nd August, citing the absence of suitable text prompts near emergency mechanisms. Geely is recalling around 92,000 Zeekr vehicles from 24th August. In response, many companies are offering to apply warning labels free of charge near the handles, and some have announced plans for remote software updates to improve safety by lowering windows after a collision.
Concerns over vehicle safety features have been mounting recently in China, particularly regarding modern vehicle designs that conceal door handles to improve aerodynamics. These concerns have prompted the Chinese authorities to introduce new rules banning hidden door handles from 1st January 2027, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology mandating that all cars must feature both internal and external mechanical release systems. The move follows the adoption of electronic handles from Tesla’s 2012 launch of the Model S, which became widely popular among Chinese manufacturers seeking futuristic styling.