Transfer over, odd scooters – there’s a brand new contender filled with options that appear to rival the newest in automotive tech. Omoway, a recent face within the electrical two-wheeler house based by former Xpeng execs, has simply unveiled the Omo X, a scooter stuffed with premium tech options that blur the strains between e-scooter and self-driving EV.
At its current launch in Jakarta, the Omo X didn’t simply sit fairly heart stage, it truly drove itself onto the stage utilizing its “Halo Pilot” system, which apparently comes full with adaptive cruise management, distant summon, self-parking, and even automated reversing and self-balancing at low speeds. That is legit autonomous conduct beforehand reserved for vehicles, now shrunk down and smoothed out for a two-wheeler.
Below the hood – or relatively, behind the glossy bodywork – Omoway’s Halo structure delivers collision warning, emergency-brake help, blind spot monitoring, and V2V communication.
The body is modular, too. It may be reconfigured in step-through, straddle, or touring posture to go well with informal riders, commuters, and motorbike wannabes alike. That type of flexibility isn’t only a advertising and marketing gimmick, however relatively it appears to be like purpose-built to seize numerous motorcycle-heavy markets like Indonesia, which counts over 120 million two-wheelers and is rapidly transitioning to electrical fashions, with gross sales surging almost 400% in 2024, although adoption stays early-stage.
We don’t have full specs or pricing but, however early stories level to a launch in early 2026, with a projected worth round €3,500 (roughly $3,800), positioning it above entry-level however beneath premium e-moto territory. That places Omoway in a novel house: not asking riders to accept barebones utility, but additionally not charging premium-badge luxurious pricing both.
So what’s the trade-off?
On the plus facet, the Omo X is the boldest assertion we’ve seen from a recent OEM in years. It’s tech-rich, head-turning, and appears constructed to evolve with software program updates. The distant summon and AI-assisted options may genuinely simplify city mobility, and methods like robotically driving itself to a charging station sound legitimately helpful.
However bleeding-edge autonomous tech like that additionally threatens to weigh it down, considerably actually, however extra so conceptually. Even “regular” trendy electrical scooters can face headwinds in manufacturing, and so they aren’t precisely reinventing the wheel with self-driving or self-balancing. Omoway’s imaginative and prescient right here must carry further sensors, actuators, and redundant programs to help these good capabilities. With added prices and complexity, will riders in growing markets pay a premium, carry further upkeep danger, or fear about obsolescence? A lot hinges on Omoway’s software program help and native service networks.
Then there’s the query of necessity. Southeast Asian scooter tradition prizes simplicity, affordability, and ruggedness – options not at all times related to cutting-edge tech bundles. And in areas like North America or Europe, the place EV scooter tradition is small but rising and infrastructure isn’t common, adoption could hinge on help for charging, service, and security requirements.
Nonetheless, it is a daring transfer from a model that isn’t afraid to suppose large will at all times be refreshing. With a seed spherical backed by Sequoia and ZhenFund, plus a workforce sourced from Xpeng and automotive-grade provide chains, Omoway clearly has each the ambition and capability to scale. And whereas Indonesia could have been the launchpad, international markets aren’t off the desk.
