Matter Aera marks the most crucial influence in our transition to an electric future, wherein the startup has given 4-gears for the first time in an e-bike. It also boosts a liquid cooling powertrain, a more personalized infotainment screen and much more. We rode it through the stunning White Desert of Kutch to know what the fuzz was actually about.
Verdict
Matter Aera came up in life in just around five years. Innovation and user experience have been given specific attention. A 4-speed gearbox, an intuitive instrument unit, a cool stance and an electric form factor make it quite a statement. Certain areas like fit and finish and regenerative braking need attention. Once that is all sorted out with some much-needed finesse before deliveries.Matter Aera is undoubtedly an experience in itself that would elevate consumers' e-bike experience.
Well, at first glance, you could mistake it for another ICE bike, but you would find it an EV once you go closer. And that's a good thing! It doesn't look polarizing and does not split opinions. Simple and nicely done design with sporty cuts and creases. The stance, graphics, and paint scheme do make it look unique. However, since it was a pre-production version, the charging socket and panels lacked fit and finish.
The bike has fairly neutral ergonomics, like a 150 cc humble commuter. The quality of the seats was excellent, and the seating area was adequate for the pillion. The foam density is adequate, and I had no seating discomfort.
Matter Aera 5000+
Seat Height - Rider - 790mm
Battery - 5kWh
Claimed Range- 125kms
Motor Power- 10.5kW
Transmission-4-Speed Manual
Ride Modes- Eco | City | Sport with Park Assist
Front Brake- 270mm Petal Disc
Rear Brake-220mm Disc
17.78 cm LCD screen with Capacitive Touchscreen
Matter Aera gets a 5kWh IP67-rated liquid-cooled battery unit with a claimed range of 125 km in eco mode. I have ridden it for a very short period, so I will reserve my judgement on range accuracy. The bike gets a liquid-cooled radial flux motor with a rated claim power output of 10.5kW. It comes mated to a 4-speed gearbox. Yes, a gearbox in an EV - that enables torque amplification. The operations of the gears are smooth, and I had fun playing with them. The experience of gears in an e-bike is the first of its kind, and the consumers will like it for the experience of it. The bike has three riding modes: eco, city, and sport. As the name suggests, eco emphasizes efficiency over performance. Sports mode is a fun mode, with quick acceleration and a top speed of 100kmph. Meanwhile, the city mode finds a perfect balance that could be feasible for the maximum number of consumers. Throttle calibration is also well-judged. The bike automatically goes to eco mode as the SOC goes to 20 per cent. However, during my test, the bike went into fault mode despite the SOC being at 15 percent.
Matter Aera gets a telescopic fork at the front and dual shock with the 5-level adjuster at the rear. The ride quality is, however, a bit on the stiffer side. In terms of handling, it is pretty natural and predictable. The braking hardware gets a 270mm petal disc at the front and a 220mm disc at the rear. It gets a single-channel ABS. In hard braking, the bike maintained its composure quite well. The feel and feedback from regenerative braking could be improved.
