With the electric mobility segment seeing new products frequently, a one-off surprise is always welcome. Matter Energy had previously showcased its electric motorcycle with a unique feature — a manual gearbox. Now, the company has officially named it the ‘Aera’ and has also announced the price of the motorcycle, Rs 1.43 lakh ex-showroom.
The Matter Energy Aera looks like a traditional street-focused motorcycle, however, it’s all-electric. On first glimpse, one would not notice that either because of the gear lever on the left footpeg, a brake lever on the right footpeg, and the handlebar housing the clutch and the front brake. So what’s with the design idea, and how does the gearbox work on an electric motorcycle?
The matter with the name
Matter Energy calls the motorcycle the Aera, while it’s called the M1 internally. The name represents the “winds of change” (cue the Scorpions soundtrack). The Matter Aera will be available in two versions initially, the Aera 5000 and the Aera 5000+, the latter priced at Rs 1.53 lakh, ex-showroom.
The major difference between the two variants of the Aera electric motorcycle is the connected tech features, which will be offered complimentary with the 5000+ variant, while the Lifestyle package is offered with the 5000+ variant only. Also, another matter with the name is the nomenclature with the variants, the 5000 trims denote the 5kWh battery pack, while the 4000 series and 6000 series – the latter which will be launched at a later time – denote 4kWh and 6kWh battery packs.
Matter Aera battery pack, range, and charging
The motorcycle is powered by a 5kWh battery pack which is liquid-cooled, making it the first of its kind in India. The battery pack operates a pump that distributes the coolant towards the battery pack to cool it down, while also cooling down the magnet, which is a source of heat.
The Matter Aera produces 10KW of power and helps the all-electric motorcycle accelerate from 0 to 60kmph in under 6 seconds, while the battery pack on a full charge can offer a range of 125km. The battery can be fully charged in 5 hours using a normal charger and a fast charger will do the same in 2 hours.
Matter has not opted for a swappable battery pack, as the pack itself weighs around 40kg, and for a commuter motorcycle targeting the sub-200cc category, battery swapping is not needed.
How does the gearbox matter?
The inclusion of a 4-speed gearbox puts a twist. The manual gearbox uses a traditional wet multi-plate clutch system, which the user can operate manually. The gearbox helps limit and distribute the torque to the rear wheels, directly impacting the speed and acceleration of the motorcycle.
The rider can achieve full speed by going through the gears like a traditional ICE motorcycle, however, when coming to a complete halt, the clutch need not be pulled in. This is because electric motorcycles do not have an idle rpm. Also, users can come to a complete stop and take off in any gear but the acceleration will be slow compared to starting in first.
Mohal Lalbhai, Founder and CEO of Matter Group, says that the inclusion of a manual gearbox and letting riders control the speed gives them the feel of a traditional motorcycle but just that it’s electric. It will be a great bridge between an ICE motorcycle and an electric one, helping customers transition quicker, but keeping the basics.
Safety and tech also matter
To keep the Matter Aera futuristic, the motorcycle uses parts such as a projector headlight, indicators integrated into the tank shrouding, telescopic front forks, dual shocks at the rear, disc brakes at both ends with a single-channel ABS, and Ceat tyres, which may see a change in the customer version.
The Aera also has a touchscreen LCD in the place of the instrument cluster which notifies riders about calls, messages, navigation, etc. The rider will not be able to use the touch function on the display when the motorcycle is in motion, nor will it allow the rider to answer calls. The rider has to come to a complete stop before answering calls.
The Aera is also keyless, meaning there is no physical key required to operate the motorcycle like any of the new-age cars. However, there is a key access under the rear seat, but this is for service maintenance only.
Matter is expecting to start deliveries of the Aera electric motorcycles this summer, and is currently finalising dealers across 24 districts. The company has 20 dealers onboard to date and is looking to approach sales in digital and physical formats.
