China has reportedly moved to ban certain electric / pop-out car door handles — and the move is sending shockwaves through the global automotive industry.

In this episode of CTRL ALT Refuel, we break down:

• Why China is targeting electric door handles

• The safety and reliability concerns behind the decision

• What this means for EV manufacturers worldwide

• How this impacts UK and European car buyers

• And what Toyota’s new CEO could do next with their EV strategy

With electric vehicles evolving rapidly, design choices like flush door handles, software integration, and electronic systems are under more scrutiny than ever. If major markets begin restricting certain features, it could reshape how future EVs are built.

We also discuss:

• EV safety standards

• Government regulation and automotive policy

• Toyota’s leadership change and future electrification plans

• The wider EV vs petrol & diesel debate

If you’re interested in electric cars, hybrid vehicles, automotive news, UK car industry updates, and honest EV discussions — this episode is for you.

👇 Let us know in the comments:

Should electric door handles be banned for safety reasons?

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🎙️ Podcast: CTRL ALT Refuel

📍 Covering electric, hybrid, petrol, diesel & hydrogen vehicles

No expense was spent to secure a chat with James Gee of Be.EV. And what a smashing chap he is.

Be-EV have acquired the UK arm of European charging behemoth Mer. In a stroke, Be-EV have tripled their charging network with a particular focus on the south of England, a region previously not well served by Be-EV.

Paul gets a bit giddy and turns the conversation to CHAdeMO, Chris asks very long questions and Gareth talks about places in Dorset. So, normal service has very much been resumed.

Do not adjust your set.

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@Tedisiek

@eV_Newt

@PaulNissanEV

@_james_gee_

&

Chris Petchelli

Viewer ‪@REV-EV‬ asks us to talk about very long range EVs. And we do for a while.

Like an ongoing soap opera where everybody misunderstands everyone else to further the weak plot, the Petchellis are keeping their salary sacrifice Genesis GV60 until the summer, when its lease ends. As we find out, not much coherent planning has gone into finding its replacement.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeEgfPd7qhdD9T0eCCcDvItzGuxbdMtaW

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https://x.com/PaulNissanEV

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