(Yicai) Aug. 24 -- China has ordered the country’s biggest recall of new energy vehicles, with nine automakers -- including Tesla -- set to bring in more than 4.2 million cars because of safety concerns over concealed door handles.

The callback, ordered by the State Administration for Market Regulation on Aug. 21, is also China’s biggest cross‑brand recall stemming from a single design issue.

The carmakers involved issued recall notices the same day, citing concerns that emergency mechanical door releases in the cars blend into the interior trim, making them hard to identify and operate. In extreme situations, such as severe crashes that cause the car’s 12‑volt power supply to fail, the issue could prevent occupants from quickly opening the doors and escaping, while also making it harder for emergency crews to access the vehicle from outside.

Tesla accounts for the largest share of the recall at nearly 2.98 million cars. The vehicles were manufactured between March 2019 and late April 2026, and include both China-made and imported models. The affected lineup includes the Model 3, Model Y, Model X and Model S.

Others with sizeable callbacks include Xiaomi with 390,500, Leapmotor with 371,200, Xpeng with 264,800, and Geely Holding with 92,658.

The companies are taking different approaches to address the issue, all provided free of charge. They include placing warning labels next to the emergency mechanical releases, using over‑the‑air software updates to enable the windows to automatically lower following an accident, thereby providing an additional escape route, and replacing the handle covers to make them more visible.

China’s national standards for automotive door handles will take effect next Jan. 1. Safety hazards associated with hidden door handles have become increasingly clear, an expert told Yicai. Even though the new mandatory standards will not apply retroactively to cars already on the road, it is reasonable for automakers to recall existing vehicles to address risks, the person added.

Concealed pop-out door handles were first widely introduced to passenger cars by Austin-based Tesla with the Model S. Their streamlined appearance, improved aerodynamic performance, and high-tech appeal led many Chinese NEV manufacturers to adopt the design. But as the design spread, questions around its behavior in emergencies have become harder to ignore.

If a serious accident were to disable a vehicle’s electronic door release mechanism, hidden door handles on the outside may fail to deploy automatically, making it more difficult for rescuers to get into the car. Although emergency mechanical releases are fitted inside, their low visibility and poorly differentiated covers can make them difficult to locate quickly, impeding the chances of occupants escaping after an accident.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Kim Taylor