China Requires Mechanical Features On Electric Car Door Handles

JAKARTA – China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) recently issued a draft mandatory national standard focusing on car door handle safety. This step was taken to address concerns raised by the widespread use of concealed and electric door handle designs in modern electric vehicles.

As reported by CarNewsChina on Thursday, September 24, the draft, titled "Technical Requirements for the Safety of Automobile Door Handles," was released for public consultation on September 24 and will be open for input until November 22, 2025.

According to the MIIT, this initiative aims to establish a baseline for safety while guiding manufacturers to improve overall vehicle design and safety.

Key Requirements for Emergency Safety

This draft standard clearly targets mechanical functionality and ease of access, especially in emergency situations. Some key requirements include:

Mandatory External Mechanical Release: Each door (except the trunk) must have an external handle with a mechanical release function.

Battery Emergency Access: In the event of an accident involving a battery thermal problem, the side door (not the one involved in the collision) must be able to be opened using the external handle without the need for tools.

Internal Mechanical Backup: If an internal electric door handle is installed, a mechanical backup handle must be provided.

Hand Operating Space: External handles must provide adequate hand operating space, at least 60mm × 20mm × 25mm, regardless of handle position.

Clear Placement: Internal handles must be easily identifiable, clearly visible, positioned within 300mm of the door edge, and located in a specific zone relative to the seating position.

Balancing Technology and Safety

Rong Hui, Deputy Director of the China Automotive Standardization Research Institute, explained that this standard was developed through extensive research involving more than 20 companies and 63 vehicle models. These requirements are designed to address industry concerns while balancing technological advancements with safety concerns.

“With the development of automotive electrification, electric concealed door handles have become widely adopted, and the operating methods and structural types of door handle products on the market are increasingly diverse,” said Rong. “This standard aims to respond to new technologies and safety requirements.”

The standard focuses on three main areas: regulating the structural types of door handles, ensuring that the release method remains functional during a power loss, and standardizing the placement of handles with clear safety markings.

The development of this standard involved comprehensive research into door handle configurations of more than 230 vehicle models and validation testing on more than 20 models, involving more than 100 experts from domestic and international automakers, parts suppliers, and testing agencies.