In what is the first major impact seen on an electric two-wheeler’s (E2W) prices since the reduction in FAME-II subsidies for E2Ws was announced, EV start-up Matter has hiked prices of the Aera e-motorcycle by Rs 30,000. First showcased towards the end of 2022, the Matter Aera received a price tag of Rs 1.44 lakh for the 5000 variant, and Rs 1.54 lakh for the 5000+ variant, earlier in 2023. However, the start-up has announced that from June 6 onwards, the Aera 5000 will cost Rs 1.74 lakh, while the Aera 5000+ will cost Rs 1.84 lakh (ex-showroom). As a result, the Aera – originally envisioned as a sporty alternative to a petrol commuter motorcycle – will cost, or even exceed, Rs 2 lakh, on-road.
Also Read: FAME-II Subsidy For Electric Two-Wheelers Slashed; EV Players React
All variants of the Matter Aera, barring the 6000, will come with a 5 kWh liquid-cooled battery.
The chief reason for this substantial increase in price is the drastic drop in incentives each electric two-wheeler is eligible for. Thanks to a large battery pack, the Aera could previously account for a maximum subsidy of Rs 60,000 under the FAME-II scheme. However, with the heavy industries ministry capping incentives at 15 per cent of an E2W’s ex-factory price and revising the subsidy to Rs 10,000 per kWh of battery capacity, the maximum incentive the Aera will now qualify for is Rs 22,500. And Matter is not the only one – Ola Electric, Ather Energy, TVS, Hero MotoCorp (Vida) and Tork Motors are also expected to announce price hikes for their battery-powered models shortly.
The introductory prices will be applicable for those who book the motorcycle till June 5, 2023. The start-up has also communicated that it has pushed deliveries of the Aera – originally slated to begin by June – to September 2023.
Also Read: Early Matter Aera Buyers To Get Rs 5,000 Discount
The Aera — designed and developed completely in-house by Matter — is a unique proposition since it is the only electric motorcycle in the country to come with a four-speed sequential manual transmission. Common to all variants of the Aera is a fixed 5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack (using either NMC or NCA chemistry cells), which also benefits from a liquid-cooling system – another first for an Indian E2W.
The Aera will rival the likes of the Tork Kratos R and Revolt RV400.
Peak power output is 14 bhp, and claimed real-world range for the Aera is rated at 125 kilometres. The start-up had previously announced the Aera 6000 as well, which was to be equipped with a larger 6 kWh battery with a targeted real-world range of close to 150 kilometres. However, it remains to be seen if Matter chooses to introduce this variant at all, given that it would most likely breach the Rs 2 lakh mark (ex-showroom).
The Aera will have a 1 kW onboard charger, which is said to take less than five hours to charge the bike fully. The Aera is also compatible with DC fast charging, and will have a fast-charging time of under two hours, as per Matter.
