Mega-vehicle recall in China: Tesla and other brands affected

A massive vehicle recall has been announced in China involving Tesla and nine other automakers. The Chinese government ordered the recall of approximately 4.27 million electric vehicles, with around three million of these belonging to Tesla alone. The recalls follow multiple incidents involving Tesla vehicles where occupants suffered severe burns or even died due to malfunctioning electric door handles. Similar cases have occurred in Germany as well. The affected vehicles are limited to those manufactured and registered in China. According to the Ministry of Transport, the issue involves Tesla’s electrically operated door handles embedded within the vehicle doors. These handles could pose a danger in certain accidents, particularly when power supply is interrupted, making it difficult for occupants to escape from the wreckage. In some instances, occupants who might otherwise have survived high-speed collisions ended up suffering serious burns inside their cars. In a few cases, the situation escalated to life-threatening scenarios. When the power supply to Tesla's door handles fails during an accident, occupants must locate and operate mechanical door openers such as levers or ropes. However, these mechanisms vary from model to model, often being hidden behind door panels or beneath seats, which can cause difficulties during emergencies. According to Bloomberg, based on figures from the ministry, nine manufacturers are involved in this recall: Tesla: 2.98 million vehicles Xiaomi: 390,440 vehicles Leapmotor: 371,200 vehicles Xpeng: 264,840 vehicles Zeekr: 92,660 vehicles Chery: 68,490 vehicles Dongfeng: 53,450 vehicles BAIC: 46,850 vehicles FAW: 11,910 vehicles Previously, several incidents involving Xiaomi vehicles had raised concerns, leading to fires. As a response, China banned similar door handles. A new requirement mandates that car doors must be manually operable from both inside and outside. Additionally, Tesla is facing another separate recall in China affecting 2.7 million vehicles. This second recall pertains to devices intended to monitor user attention for Tesla’s driver-assistance technologies. Criticism of Tesla’s door handles is not new. Swiss police officers were once trapped in their patrol cars due to issues with the handles during an operation. Other manufacturers, including BMW and others, also employ similar mechanisms. In at least one case, electrical door handles on German roads led to fatalities. After a crash near Schwerte in North Rhine-Westphalia, a man and two children were unable to open the doors of their Tesla, and the fire claimed their lives. Investigations and expert reports identified the faulty door handles as the cause.