Latvian mobility tech startup Oruga says it is developing the world’s first electric single-track off-road motorcycle. The Unitrack is being designed and developed for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts to conquer diverse and challenging terrain all year round. After the Oruga team showed its machine at the Outdoor Riga 2024 expo, the company is promoting it during the MOVE America show this week at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX.

With a tilting and steering user experience like a motorcycle and an “unbeatable” ground contact area, the invention is intended to be a reliable off-road solution for loose sand, muddy forests, rocky climbs, and snowy landscapes. Its innovative track system, frame, suspension, and electric powertrain enable it to carry one or two people, handle various equipment, reverse easily, tackle high obstacles, and deliver exceptional traction and climbing power.

“We have this crazy idea to redefine off-road mobility offering one and the same vehicle for all-season, all-terrain use,” Liene Vitola, COO and Co-founder of Oruga, told Futurride. “It is interesting that our first pre-order comes from America.”

Established in Latvia in the summer of 2023, the company is currently in a fundraising phase looking for investors to join its journey aimed at changing the world’s experience in terms of off-road adventures. The core team consists of five outdoor enthusiasts who co-founded the company to develop the promising invention of Chief Technical Officer Juris Kļava. In addition to Klava and Vītola, the core team consists of Chief Executive Officer Erick Pastor, Business Development Officer Kaspars Barons, and Strategic Partnerships Officer Svetlana El Žuni.

Aiming to emphasize monotrack technology, the five co-founders chose to name the company Oruga, a Spanish word meaning of a caterpillar or a track. Followed by the slogan “go anywhere,” it is meant to deliver a clear message that all products it manufactures will be designed to conquer diverse challenging terrains—from hot sand and muddy forests to rocky climbs and snowy landscapes.

The company—headquartered in Riga, Latvia, and with plans for the first product batches to be manufactured in Latvia—is open for distribution offers, but it is planning for at least the first 100 Unitrack e-single track motorcycles via direct online sales, with target markets of Europe and North America.

The Unitrack will not require any additional equipment to adjust to weather changes, nor specific route planning will be necessary due to its ability to get through almost any off-road path. It is 2400 mm (94 in) long, 900 mm (35 in) wide, and 1200 mm (47 in) tall, and weighs 150 or 300 kg (330 or 660 lb) in Nude or Heavyweight configurations, respectively. The proprietary suspension and track systems help to provide a 6-m (20-ft) turning radius.

The powertrain is classified as an electric/hybrid, with the “under development” battery pack helping to enable a range of 100 or 200 km (62 or 124 mi) in electric or hybrid versions, respectively, with extra battery cell containers for longer trips. With power of 90 kW, its maximum speed is up to 100 km/h (62 mph).

The company is building a full-size prototype now, and the first product batch of 100 units is planned for release at the end of 2025. During the MOVE: Mobility Re-imagined Expo and via https://linktr.ee/oruga_unitrack, the company is accepting submissions for priority and regular pre-order waiting lists as well as distribution and investment offers.