Matter Aera 5000+ review: An EV like no other

 

The Matter Aera is an EV like no other and for two reasons. The first is that this is India’s first EV two-wheeler with a liquid-cooled powertrain and battery pack – even the high performance Ultraviolette F77 sticks with air cooling. But it’s the second one that really makes this machine unique – it has four gears just like a petrol motorcycle.

Gujarat-based start up Matter says that its intention is to offer a traditional experience to those who wish to move from a conventional motorcycle to an EV. And that can be seen in the way the Aera is carefully designed to look like a normal motorcycle at first glance.

The electric motor and gearbox reside where you’d expect to see an engine, and to an untrained eye, that’s exactly what they look like. The bodywork is fairly conventional as well, with wide tank panels that will remind you of Apaches and Xtremes, depending on the viewing angle. It’s only the headlamp – with its unusual illuminated side panels – that comes across as different and futuristic.

The sense of familiarity continues when you sit on the bike. The riding position feels quite ‘normal’ and the 790mm seat height manages to be both friendly for short riders as well as comfortable enough for bigger folks. Where you start to get the impression that this is a modern and advanced automobile is when you look at the instrument console.