Key facts
- Tesla is recalling 2.98 million vehicles in China.
- The recall affects Model 3, Y, S, and X vehicles.
- The safety concern involves retractable door handles that may be difficult to identify and operate in emergencies.
- Other automakers including Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, and Geely are also recalling vehicles.
- China will ban concealed door handles from 2027.
Tesla and eight other automakers are initiating a record recall of approximately 4.3 million vehicles in China due to concerns that emergency door releases may be difficult to operate. Tesla's portion of the recall involves 2.98 million Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles, citing that the retractable door handles could be hard to identify or use after a severe collision and electrical failure. The company plans to address this with warning labels and a software update that automatically lowers windows post-collision. Other affected manufacturers include Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, and Geely. This action comes as China increases its oversight of the EV industry and prepares to ban concealed door handles from 2027, following incidents where passengers were reportedly trapped in burning vehicles.