Oruga Unitrack Is an Unconventional Single-Tracked Electric Motorcycle for Off-Road Use

Oruga SIA is a new player on the off-road vehicle scene and specializes in producing proprietary track mobility systems. It was founded in the summer of 2023, and the company's name, which derives from the Spanish word for caterpillar, is meant to highlight the ability of its first transportation solution to easily conquer even the roughest of terrains.

Developed with the needs of off-road explorers in mind, the rugged three-wheeled device is described as "the world’s first all-terrain electric monotrack vehicle designed to be versatile, rugged and robust with the environment in mind, and one that is created for use in a variety of terrains, seasons and operations." 

It stands out through a distinctive design with three wheels wrapped in balloon tires and a proprietary patent-pending single-track system that allows it to spread its weight across a larger surface area. A powerful electric motor and a big battery will help off-road explorers reach any location regardless of the season or weather conditions.

While the bizarre, aggressive look might confuse you, this is arguably still a motorcycle with two "road wheels" and a third motor wheel located almost at the height of the headlight that comes in handy when it comes to tackling steep hills, muddy forests, sandy terrains, and snowy roads. It's certainly an unconventional motorcycle unlike anything we've seen before and represents an important technological advancement in the world of all-terrain vehicles.

While many others have played with the idea of a monotrack motorcycle before, the Oruga Unitrack takes things a little further by adding an electric motor, although the team behind the project has not unveiled much information about the characteristics of the engine and batteries. It also has coil-spring suspension at both ends and a curved track surface that is meant to allow it to lean into corners.

However, how exactly the rider would turn this beast is not yet clear. The designers explain that the track bends on the sections of the contact point of the lower front wheel when you steer, but this gives the motorcycle a huge turning radius of about 20 feet (6 meters). As it turns out, the rider can reduce the wide turning radius by leaning and transferring your weight to the side, but even with these maneuvers, it's still unlikely to offer efficient turning ability in practical situations. Oruga is still in the process of building the first example, so we'll have to wait and see how that pans out in real life.

As mentioned, we have seen similar contraptions before, but none was meant to be mass-produced. Oruga SIA plans to offer an initial run of 100 units that will be available in mid-2025. Those interested in this unique mobility solution can already place pre-orders, though pricing and spec details have yet to be disclosed.