Tesla and eight other carmakers have recalled about 4.27 million electric vehicles in mainland China over door-handle safety risks, Bloomberg News reported on Aug. 21, citing the country's market regulator, State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

Tesla accounted for the majority of the recall share, with just under 3 million vehicles affected. According to SAMR, Tesla vehicles with electrically controlled door handles may experience failure in certain crashes, which "could hinder occupants from quickly opening the doors to escape and impede rescue efforts by those outside the vehicle, posing a safety hazard."

Tesla will update software so windows automatically lower after an accident and add warning labels identifying emergency door-release mechanisms, the regulator said. Xiaomi EV had the second-largest total in the door-handle recall, covering 390,435 SU7 electric sedans. Leapmotor, partly owned by Stellantis, is recalling 371,200 vehicles.

Electronic door handles, also known as flush door handles, have been linked to incidents in which occupants were trapped after vehicles lost power, including following crashes. In several Tesla crashes, occupants survived the impact but died or were seriously injured in subsequent fires after being unable to exit.

Bloomberg News has reported at least 15 deaths in a dozen incidents in which occupants or rescuers could not open the doors of a Tesla that had crashed and caught fire. It also reported late last year that Tesla CEO Elon Musk insisted on electric doors after potential safety concerns were raised internally.

Earlier this year, mainland China banned concealed door handles on electric vehicles after multiple crashes involving Xiaomi vehicles. Last month, regulators in the US said they would begin a federal rulemaking on unsafe door handles, while also investigating complaints related to certain Tesla Model Y vehicles.

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