this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2026
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They reduce aerodynamic drag which allows a couple more miles of range.
But there’s no reason to make them electric. Airplanes have had flush door handles for decades.
aerodynamics doesnt matter on the interior of a vehicle...lets be real, musk thought it would "look cool" and he cares more about looking cool than human safety.
Just a reminder that "aesthetics over function" is a common trope for fascists
The ones on the interior are because of the frameless windows. They allow the car to roll down the windows slightly before opening the door.
Other manufacturers like Audi also have electronic door handles on the interior of cars with frameless windows. But they use 2-stage door handles, so if you pull on them all the way there is also a mechanical release, not just a button. Much safer than hiding the mechanical release behind the speaker panel
Electric is cheaper and smaller. A local lever system takes up space and requires more machining and can interact with certain pricy patents. An electric one can be further away from the handle, smaller, and involve different, cheaper patents.
However, it is colossally fucking stupid on account of death
They already have levers on all Rivians, for example. You don't ever have to have the handles in "present" mode.