Tesla’s China division and Chinese car manufacturers are set to conduct a large-scale recall involving over 4 million vehicles due to safety issues with the car door handles.
The recall by Tesla includes approximately 2.98 million imported and domestically produced electric vehicles in China, including models such as Model 3, Model Y, Model X, and Model S.
According to reports from mainland Chinese media, this is the largest recall of the year. In February, Chinese authorities announced that starting next year, China will ban the use of hidden car door handles, a design commonly found in Tesla and many Chinese electric vehicles.
In extreme situations such as severe collisions leading to electrical system failures, hidden or flush-mounted car door handles may impede passengers from quickly opening the door to escape, or obstruct rescue personnel from entering the vehicle from outside.
There have been multiple incidents in China and elsewhere involving electric vehicle accidents where the vehicle’s hidden electronic doors malfunctioned, resulting in individuals being trapped inside.
Tesla stated in its announcement that software updates will be conducted on the vehicles to reduce risks.
Beijing-based Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is recalling over 390,000 vehicles, while Hangzhou-based electric car manufacturer Leapmotor is recalling over 370,000 vehicles. Other Chinese car manufacturers including Geely and XPENG are also recalling some of their vehicles.