Nearly all electric motorcycles—whether prototype or production model—feature a single-gear drivetrain. That twist-and-go functionality caters to non-riders and beginners, but many diehard motorcyclists embrace the benefits of manual transmissions. After all, dropping a gear to hightail out of a hairy situation or manipulating the power delivery with a short shift isn’t possible without a gearbox.
Indian electric vehicle and technology startup Matter fully understands these transmission tenets, and its four-speed gearbox brings an old-school feel to its brand-new electric motorcycle concept. That drivetrain transfers the 10.5 kW (14.1-horsepower) electric motor’s 383.5 lb-ft of torque to the back wheel and the motor draws all that oomph from a liquid-cooled 5 kWh battery.
To keep that powertrain operating at optimal efficiency, Matter employs a proprietary cooling system. The unit not only pulls heat away from the power pack but cools the rotor and stator in the process.
Matter doesn’t disclose how many miles the liquid-cooled powertrain nets on a single charge. However, the firm's comfortable reporting that the concept recharges in five hours when plugged into a wall socket. Matter claims that the e-motorcycle will also offer fast-charging capabilities, but it hasn’t released additional information on that front.
Riders can keep track of the mileage, range, and charge via a seven-inch TFT panel. That dash includes features such as smartphone connectivity, notifications, music playback, and turn-by-turn navigation.
While Matter hasn’t established a name for its electric concept, the brand plans to manufacture the first run of the production model at its Changodar, Ahmedabad, factory. The 200,000 sq-ft facility’s capacity currently sits at 60,000 units, and the company plans to expand that number to 200,000 units in the near future.
“Out of around 2 crore two-wheelers sold per year in the country, motorbikes comprise about 1.4-1.5 crore units,” claimed Matter Founder and CEO Mohal Lalbhai. “While most other start-ups are focusing on electric scooters, we decided to come up with a geared electric bike. With no other major player in the electric bike segment currently, growth potential in the vertical is immense.”
