Electric mobility technology company MATTER has announced a collaboration with Niron Magnetics to develop rare-earth-free electric motor technology for two-wheelers. The first prototype featuring this innovation was unveiled at CES 2026.
The collaboration aims to address the electric vehicle industry’s heavy reliance on rare earth elements, which creates environmental concerns and supply chain vulnerabilities. As part of the partnership, MATTER will explore integrating Niron Magnetics’ iron nitride magnet technology along with variable flux motor (VFM) designs into its next-generation electric motorcycle platforms.
The prototypes displayed include MATTER’s liquid-cooled powertrain, in-house developed gearbox and vehicle systems integrated with Niron Magnetics’ iron nitride permanent magnets. Built on MATTER’s Hypershift geared electric motorbike platform, the prototype aims to improve torque delivery, efficiency across a wide speed range, acceleration performance, riding range and thermal stability.
Variable flux motor technology eliminates the traditional trade-off between low-speed torque and high-speed efficiency seen in conventional electric motors. For electric motorcycles, this translates into faster acceleration, better urban riding controllability, efficient highway cruising and better thermal performance. Niron Magnetics’ iron nitride magnets achieve these benefits without the use of rare earth elements or critical minerals.
Commenting on the collaboration, Prasad Telikapalli, Founder and Group CTO, Matter, said: “Our endeavor has always been to create future-ready electric mobility solutions that deliver unmatched performance while strengthening India’s technological independence. Niron Magnetics’ iron nitride technology represents a step-change in electric motor capability, and together we see an opportunity to redefine two-wheeler propulsion globally.”
Mohal Lalbhai, Founder and Group CEO of MATTER, said: “By integrating Niron Magnetics’ iron nitride variable flux motor technology into our platform, we are breaking long-standing barriers around performance, efficiency and sustainability, and expanding what electric mobility can achieve for India and beyond.”
Jonathan Rowntree, CEO of Niron Magnetics, said: “Partnering with MATTER allows us to demonstrate how iron nitride magnets can open new frontiers in high-performance e-mobility. MATTER’s technology-first mindset and powertrain expertise make them an ideal partner to scale rare-earth-free magnet innovation to production applications.”
Established in January 2019 and headquartered in Ahmedabad, MATTER Motor Works manufactures AERA geared electric motorbikes and holds over 400 patent filings with 97 granted patents. Niron Magnetics specializes in the production of permanent magnets using iron nitride material formulations, providing a sustainable alternative to rare-earth-based magnet technologies.