China has banned hidden door handles on electric vehicles, becoming the first country to outlaw the design popularized by Elon Musk’s Tesla.
The move follows growing safety concerns about electric vehicles after deadly accidents, including two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs, where power failures may have stopped doors from opening.
Under the new rules, cars can only be sold if their doors have mechanical release handles on both the inside and outside, with the regulations taking effect on January 1, 2027, according to state media.
Tesla’s door handles are already under investigation by US safety regulators, and European authorities are considering introducing their own rules.
This is not the first time the Tesla brand has come under scrutiny. Indeed, its founder, one of the richest and most high-profile entrepreneurs of contemporary times, Elon Musk, has also become an increasingly controversial figure. Click through the following gallery to learn more about Musk's journey from business to politics, and why it’s been causing such a stir lately.