Winter is coming, and a cold snap from Siberia has brought severe cold to the country. Many new energy vehicle owners have found that it is difficult for their cars to open in such weather. It turned out that their cars were equipped with hidden door handles, which seemed to be high-tech designs, but they were easy to freeze at low temperatures, resulting in door handles that could not be popped out, and car owners could only use various methods to break the ice and open the door.
What is a Hidden Doorknob? It is a door handle that shrinks to the inside of the door when not in use, and when the owner approaches the vehicle, the door handle will automatically pop out, giving people a sense of technology and ritual. This design first appeared on Tesla's models, and was later imitated by many new energy vehicle companies, and even some traditional car companies began to use hidden door handles to show the high-end and advanced of their new energy vehicles.
What are the benefits of concealed doorknobs? It is said that it can reduce the wind resistance of the body and improve the range of the vehicle. However, this effect is really minimal, according to some data, the hidden door handle can only increase the range of 5-10 kilometers at most, and it depends on the speed of the vehicle. For most car owners, this increase in range is simply imperceptible, and it's not worth sacrificing practicality and convenience for it.
What are the disadvantages of concealed door handles? First of all, it costs much more than traditional doorknobs because it requires more electronic components and mechanical structures, and it is also more prone to failure. Secondly, it is not convenient to use, the owner needs to wait for the door handle to pop out before opening the door, and sometimes it is necessary to use the mobile phone APP or key to control, if the mobile phone is out of power or the key is lost, it is very troublesome. Finally, there are also safety issues, if the vehicle is in an accident, the occupants of the vehicle or the rescue personnel outside may not be able to open the door in time, causing greater danger.
The problem with hidden doorknobs is especially acute in winter, as low temperatures can cause the doorknob's motors and mechanisms to fail, or become covered in snow and ice, preventing the doorknob from popping. At this time, the owner can only use various violent means to break the ice and open the door, such as using kitchen knives, hammers, hot water, etc., which is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also may damage the vehicle. Tesla's official advice is to smash it with your fists, but this is not a good way for many people because the ice can be thick and it is possible to hurt their hands.
Are hidden doorknobs really technological advancements? Judging from the current situation, it is more like a gimmick, a sacrifice made in order to show the difference between new energy vehicles. It doesn't bring much practical benefit to the car owner, but instead adds a lot of unnecessary trouble and risk. Perhaps, sometimes, traditional design is the most reasonable design, and the development of science and technology does not have to be at the expense of humanity.