China orders biggest-ever car recall, sweeping up Tesla, XPeng and Xiaomi

China has announced the biggest car recall in its history, covering more than four million vehicles made by Tesla, XPeng, Xiaomi and other manufacturers, the BBC reported on Wednesday (BBC). Reuters characterised the move as Beijing flexing its auto-safety regulatory muscle with a huge recall of Tesla and other cars (Reuters).

The recall centres on the industry-wide shift to flush, electronically operated "hidden" door handles. Around 60% of China's top 100 best-selling new energy vehicles — including battery-electric and hybrid models — now use such handles, prized for their sleek look and reduced wind drag, but criticised after doors failed to open promptly in crashes, delaying rescues, the BBC reported, citing analysts and safety researchers (BBC). Regulators' remedial measures include warning labels and changes aimed at ensuring exits work without power, though some engineers told the BBC the steps fall short of requiring a fully mechanical way in or out.

The safety debate was sharpened by two fatal 2025 crashes involving Xiaomi's SU7 sedan, in which relatives said occupants were trapped because doors could not be unlocked after collision, according to coverage cited by state-run Global Times; Xiaomi said at the time that the SU7 carried mechanical emergency releases and that it was investigating (BBC). Tesla, meanwhile, faces a US lawsuit from the sole survivor of a 2024 Cybertruck crash that killed three college students, alleging electronic buttons failed and trapped passengers; Tesla has denied wrongdoing and says the vehicle complies with federal standards (BBC).

The scale of the action underscores both China's weight in the global car market — it is the world's largest, and the crucible of the EV price and technology wars — and the growing confidence of its regulators in policing foreign and domestic brands alike. For exporters, compliance costs and design changes mandated in Beijing could ripple into vehicles sold well beyond China.

It remains unclear whether similar recalls will follow elsewhere. The BBC understands carmakers have not yet notified US authorities of any comparable recall plans (BBC), leaving Western regulators facing questions over whether their own rules on electronic door handles will need to catch up with Chinese precedent.

**Sources:** BBC, Google News