2 min readBrowsing the Smart Energy Expo one thing that should have stood out but did not, car door handles. Seemingly Tesla’s flush door handle started a trend across the world of electric vehicles because a range of EVs have adopted the streamline design.
Of the 30 EV brands available across Australia, a third sport vehicles with the handleless design. Affluent brands like Audi, Mercedes, and Jaguar known for sleek silhouettes are among the group, but even more budget-friendly manufacturers like Hyundai, Kia, and BYD have jumped on the trend. But why?
An early iteration of this trend was the shaved door which eliminated the car handle all together. This was a customisation aimed to make cars more aerodynamic, and increase security- after all you can’t pick a lock that doesn’t exist. The modern interpretation of this, made trendy by Tesla, is a flush or retractable door handle which may make a significant difference in kw usage.
According to lead analyst for Technacio Amey Vikram, retractable handles can reduce the coefficient drag of vehicles by 12%.
“Retractable door handles eliminate the issue of airflow bulge creation, air flow turbulence generation, and air flow pressure conservation. The decreased drag coefficient will also contribute to increasing the fuel efficiency of vehicles as there will be low drag generation resisting the movement of vehicles through the airflow.”
For electric vehicles especially, the drag reduction and the lighter weight of these handles may result in better range especially over longer distances. By and large the EV models with these door handles have higher kWh than those without, meaning they accelerate faster and use electricity more efficiently. kWh ranges with retractable handles go between 62-107 kWh, while traditional handled models by the same manufacturers start as low as 39kWh.
While the handles may be contributing to performance, it is more likely that this design choice is reserved for vehicles that demand a more polished design- the luxury division. Regardless of the brand, flush handles appear as the price point dials up. For BYD that hits at the sub $50,000 mark, for Kia around $72,000, or $770,000 for Rolls Royce.
The problem, which anyone who has ever tried to open a Tesla can attest to, is that these retractable handles are not user friendly. Reports have seen Tesla handles freeze over during cold snaps, they are more prone to electrical and mechanical issues, they present accessibility problems for people with dexterity issues, and any automatic opening functions add another potential point of failure. Plus a chunky handle will take the hit of a doorside ding before damaging the door panel.
Despite usability issues, the flush door handle market is expected to grow powered largely by the visual design choice and the focus on range efficiency. To erk out extra kilometres we apparently need to sacrifice door handles.
