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The Gujarat-based electric vehicle start-up, Matter, was all set for a smooth launch with its maiden offering close to production, with ads featuring the star-studded actor and booking platform Flipkart. However, the FAME II changed its plans and now the company has kept a low profile.
After nearly a year, Matter is set to start deliveries of its electric motorcycle, the Aera, in March 2004, and claims to have delivered the first 40,000 bookings.
40,000 first-time customers will receive a special price.
Originally, the prices were announced on 1st March 2023, ranging from Rs. 1.44 lakh to Rs. 1.54 lakh in the area 5000+ (Ex-Showroom, Revised FAME II Subsidy) and Rs. 1.74 lakh to Rs.1.84 lakh in the Area range. The revised FAME II sub-scheme increased prices across the entire segment.
While Matter doesn’t say if the first pre-bookers will get the E-bike at the old price, the company clarifies that the early bidders will receive a special price at delivery. With only 300 cancellations from the first 40,000 pre-bookings, Matter believes that customers are ready to stick around.
We want to deliver the first set of 40,000 orders as soon as possible, said Lalbhai. “Once deliveries begin, we need to increase production as quickly as possible. That’s why we’re revamping our entire supply chain.” Lalbhai continued, “We gave our suppliers certain projections that we needed to recalibrate. It took us six months just to do that. Because once we start delivering, we don’t want to slow things down. The main goal is to deliver what consumers want as soon as possible.”
Specifications
The first mass-produced e-bike in India will be the Matter Area, which will be equipped with the world’s first liquid-cooled battery and motor as well as a mechanical 4-speed gearbox. It will be powered by a 5 kWh battery that is claimed to have a range of 125 kms on one charge. The electric motor is rated at 10kW or 13.4 bhp and the e-bike will have 4 riding modes.
According to Matter, the e-bike can go from 0-60 kph in 6 seconds with a top speed of 105 kph. It will also come with a 7-inch touchscreen Android-based digital console that brings a lot of features. The company’s new manufacturing plant in Ahmedabad, which was initially planned to produce 60,000 e-bikes per shift per year, is now working on adding a second shift to increase the capacity to 1,2 lakh units per year. The company’s priority for the next 2 to 3 years will be to meet the demand in India with exports planned at a later date.
The Company expects its entry-level electric motorcycles to be in high demand and is planning to build a second factory that will be up and running by 2025.
Dealerships :
The company will be reducing the number of physical dealerships but with a fully digital purchasing experience. “In India, service is more important than product, which is why dealerships are at the heart of our consumer outreach,” he says. The company is set to open its first retail outlet later this month, which will be in the brand’s home city of Ahmedabad, and will be open until the end of January. The company will be expanding from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Bangalore among other parts of the nation.
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