MATTER and Niron Magnetics Develop Rare-Earth-Free Electric Motor for Two-Wheelers at CES 2026

MATTER, an electric mobility technology company, has announced a collaboration with Niron Magnetics to integrate rare-earth-free Iron Nitride magnet technology into its electric motorbike platforms. The first prototype was unveiled at CES 2026.

The collaboration addresses the electric vehicle industry's dependence on rare earth elements, which involve environmental costs and supply chain challenges. MATTER will explore integrating Niron Magnetics' Iron Nitride magnet technology and Variable Flux Motor designs into its next-generation electric motorbike platforms.

The prototype combines MATTER's liquid-cooled powertrains, in-house gearboxes, and vehicle systems with Niron Magnetics' Iron Nitride magnet technology. The companies aim to achieve improvements in torque delivery, efficiency across speed ranges, acceleration, and riding range. The prototype is built on MATTER's HyperShift geared electric motorbike platform.

Variable Flux Motors eliminate the trade-off between low-speed torque and high-speed efficiency found in conventional electric motors. For electric motorcycles, this results in faster acceleration, superior controllability in city conditions, efficient cruising, and improved thermal stability. Niron Magnetics' Iron Nitride magnets deliver performance without rare earth elements or critical minerals.

"MATTER's pursuit has always been to build 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 what electric motors can achieve, and together we see the opportunity to redefine propulsion for two-wheelers globally," said Prasad Telikapalli, Founder and Group CTO, MATTER.

"Innovation-driven systems have the power to eliminate every constraint the industry once accepted as normal. By integrating Niron Magnetics' Iron Nitride VFM technology into our platform, we are dismantling the barriers that limited how fast, how efficiently, and how sustainably India could move," said Mohal Lalbhai, Founder & Group CEO, MATTER.

"Working with MATTER allows us to demonstrate how Iron Nitride can unlock new frontiers in high-performance e-mobility," said Jonathan Rowntree, CEO, Niron Magnetics. "MATTER's technology-first approach and deep understanding of powertrain engineering make them an ideal partner as we bring rare-earth-free magnet innovation to production-scale applications."

MATTER Motor Works, founded in January 2019 in Ahmedabad, manufactures the AERA geared electric motorbike. The company has over 400 patent filings and 97 granted patents. Niron Magnetics manufactures permanent magnets using Iron Nitride material formulation.