Why Modern EV Door Handles Are Becoming a Growing Safety Concern

A Design Trend That Rewrote the Industry

For the past decade, automakers have chased a sleek, minimalist aesthetic—an approach largely shaped by Tesla’s push to redesign traditional components. Flush, button-style, or motorized door handles became a signature of futuristic EV design. They reduced drag, cut costs, and visually separated EVs from gasoline cars.

But this design trend, now widely copied by Hyundai, Ford, Rivian, and many Chinese manufacturers, has led to a new and unexpected safety challenge. What was once celebrated as modern design is now prompting regulators, engineers, and emergency responders to question whether convenience has come at the expense of safety.

Rising Complaints Highlight a Systemic Problem

A growing number of drivers are reporting failures related to electronic or retracting door handles, especially during power loss or collisions. According to recent federal data, complaints to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about electrically controlled doors and handles rose 65% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Over the last decade, more than 520 complaints have been filed regarding digital or powered door mechanisms.

These failures are not limited to one brand, but Tesla remains the most frequently cited—largely because its vehicles helped normalize this design. As more automakers adopted similar systems, the issue shifted from an individual brand problem into a broader EV-industry engineering challenge.

Real-World Incidents Raise Urgency

The complaints include serious safety situations:

• A Fisker Ocean driver reported that a complete battery failure trapped the owner, their elderly mother, and young son inside the vehicle for two hours in a grocery store parking lot.

• A Lexus SUV owner with mobility issues described having to crawl through the cargo area to escape after all doors locked during a malfunction, an event that resulted in a hospital visit.

• A Mustang Mach-E owner alleged being stuck outside the car, along with family members and two dogs, stranded hours from home.

These accounts show the range of scenarios: sometimes people are unable to exit the car; in other cases, they can’t get in. But in emergencies—such as fires, floods, or high-voltage system failures—every second matters, and confusion over hidden or powered handles can worsen outcomes.

Why EVs Are Especially Vulnerable

Traditional mechanical handles work even when a car’s battery fails. But on many EVs, the handle mechanism, latch actuation, or extension motor depends on the vehicle’s 12-volt system, which can fail independently from the main battery pack.

Electrified handles became popular partly because automakers needed ways to reduce EV manufacturing costs. Flush handles reduce aerodynamic drag and add range; electronic actuation allows for simpler internal mechanisms. Yet this pursuit of efficiency created a weak point:

If the 12-volt battery goes out—even briefly—the doors may not open.

This risk is amplified by the trend toward fully motorized handles with no obvious fallback. Many owners don’t know where the mechanical release is located, or that it exists at all.

Manual Backup Systems Still Fall Short

Most EVs today include some form of manual override. But many are:

• hidden under fabric flaps

• disguised as trim pieces

• difficult to access quickly

• located only for front passengers

• unknown to the owner entirely

In models with retracting handles, some automakers rely on software logic to decide when handles stay extended, but software cannot eliminate failure points.

Manufacturers have begun quietly redesigning these systems, adding secondary releases or combining powered and mechanical latches. Still, regulators argue these changes are happening too slowly—especially given the rising number of incidents.

Regulators Are Stepping In

Safety agencies in both China and the European Union have begun evaluating whether fully electric handles should be allowed without highly visible mechanical backups. Possible regulatory outcomes include:

• mandatory physical handles on all doors

• required prominent manual override locations

• “dual-path” designs where both electrical and mechanical systems always operate

• new standards ensuring door actuation continues during limited power loss

These measures would force automakers to rethink their design language yet again—reinforcing the idea that safety should outweigh aesthetic minimalism.

Automakers Respond—Slowly

Some companies have pushed back on the criticism. Hyundai, for instance, insists that its door systems are fundamentally mechanical, even though its exterior handles extend and retract electrically. The company emphasizes that if the battery is drained, the driver can still press part of the handle inward and use a physical key.

Kia offers similar explanations. But the distinction matters little to regulators and emergency responders. When a handle looks flush, hidden, or powered, first responders often don’t know what to do, costing precious time.

Tesla—whose designs inspired this industrywide trend—has acknowledged issues and is now revising components to address complaints.

A Turning Point for EV Safety Design

What started as a quest for futuristic design is now becoming a major inflection point in EV development. The push for sleeker cars and improved aerodynamics collided with the reality that mechanical reliability still matters, especially when lives are at risk.

As regulators press for clearer standards and consumer complaints rise, the next generation of EVs may look very different. Visible mechanical handles could return. Hybrid designs may replace fully powered systems. Emergency release requirements may become far more stringent.

In the end, the debate forces automakers to ask a fundamental question:

Is futuristic design worth it if it compromises safety in critical moments?

This conversation is just beginning—and it may shape how EVs are designed for years to come.

Recommend Reading: Volkswagen CEO Criticizes Flush Door Handles, Promises Simpler Designs