A Walkaround At Matter’s RnD Facility In Ahmedabad

India is awash with a whole array of electric two-wheelers. However, the one brand that has managed to stand out of the crowd and piqued everyone’s interest is Matter. This startup from Ahmedabad first caught people’s eyeballs when it showcased its electric motorcycle, the Aera, in November 2022. But what was really interesting was that it was the first electric motorcycle in India to offer a four-speed gearbox and liquid cooling technology for the battery and the motor. Since I first heard about these class-leading technologies, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Aera and test it myself.

The Aera is India's first electric motorbike to offer a liquid-cooled battery and 4-speed gearbox

Now, a few days back, I was invited to Matter’s state-of-the-art research and development facility based out of Ahmedabad to tour the place and see how Matter is revolutionizing the manufacturing of electric two-wheelers. In this facility, the team at Matter is building things from the ground up by manufacturing the battery packs for the Aera in-house. Furthermore, the brand is also creating all the technology and electrics required for the motorcycle within the factory itself. What impressed me was all the fancy equipment that Matter has in their RnD facility, allowing them to run multiple torture tests, simulated situations and controlled trials on every single component of the Aera.

Also Read: Matter Aera E-Motorcycle Buyers To Get A Discount of Rs 5,000

While I was mesmerized by all the equipment and machines in the development centre, what drew my attention the most was the dyno machine! I knew I had to have a go on that since it would also allow me to get a taste of the Aera and experience that gearbox. After a short stint on the dyno, I was told that I could actually go and experience the Aera out in the open. Boy, oh boy, was I excited about it!

Also Read: Bookings For Matter Aera Electric Motorcycle To Begin On May 17

When I first laid eyes on the Aera, I was awestruck by its distinctive design that comes with aggressive styling and sharp lines. I was impressed by the 7-inch touchscreen LCD screen with WiFi and 4G connectivity as its instrument cluster. The bike also has plenty of other features, including passive keyless entry, park assist, gear indicator, and offline navigation system. The bike will also come with 4 driving modes. A lot of people will appreciate the 5-amp onboard charging system where one can charge the two-wheeler anywhere they want to without having to carry around a heavy charger.

The design of the headlight unit is extremely distinctive

Now, I was also lucky enough to take a short lap of the facility on the Aera and experience the motorcycle. To begin with, powering the electric bike is a liquid-cooled 5-kWh battery pack that produces 13.4 bhp of power, and the brand claims a torque figure of 520 Nm. But what’s impressive is the 4-speed Hyper-shift manual gearbox that splits the power between gears just like an ICE motorcycle. To start riding the Aera, you don’t just slot it in first gear and twist the throttle. No need to let go of the clutch; the way the gearbox is developed and due to the tidal wave of torque, you can actually keep the electric motorcycle in third or fourth and come to a standstill and then begin riding again without having to downshift. While it is awe-inspiring, it does take a few minutes for your mind to get used to it. But I was genuinely impressed with it nonetheless.

The attention to detail of the Matter logo on the taillight helps the e-motorcycle stand out.

Also Read: Matter Unveils Its First Electric Motorcycle With A Manual Gearbox

And that was it. That was the short experience I had with Matter Aera and an in-depth showcase of the entire manufacturing process of the brand and how they focus on the Make In India strategy. It is remarkable to see how much of the research and development process. Matter works on itself, and thus they are highly confident of the product, the Matter Aera.