A West Kelowna company is changing the way we experience wilderness with its new off-road suspension technology.

KXI Wildertec revealed its state-of-the-art suspension system to the public on Wednesday, by offering the community a close-up view of the invention in action on a closed course outside the company's new shop at 1130 Stevens Road.

President of the company, Chris Stewart, describes it as a “road to no road” transportation solution, meaning it can virtually go anywhere, making it very useful for jobs that involve driving in difficult terrain.

“The ability for this vehicle to reach anywhere on mountains without the need to have a trailer, ATV or a track machine, but be able to do all of that encompassed in one vehicle means a radically different response to emergencies, and part of why were in existence is to make a difference in fields like that,” said Stewart.

Stewart says this technology which involves suspension, steering, tires and a control system is a safe solution to a smoother ride when traversing through backcountry areas.

“By the time you've driven on a forest road for... hours, that's very difficult, it's like jumping on a trampoline and jumping on pavement after, it changes your sensory experience. We’re able to access areas that have never before been accessed at least in a safe manner,” explained Stewart.

Not only is the invention a first of its kind, but it's also ecologically gentle on the terrain it can traverse through.

“What our vehicle will be able to do is manage its weight in almost all rugged, wilderness environments to insure that weight stays balanced as much as possible. The impacts on the ground as you’re driving over top of it and traction will be exponential,” described Stewart.

Paul Cooper has been a professional driver for over 20 years. He lives in Chilliwack, but his job takes him around the world to test out vehicles, and he had the opportunity to test out KXI’s new invention. He said that while the truck he demonstrated looked like a regular Ford F-150, the new technology offered a much smoother ride.

“It enables me to maneuver this truck very safely in very tricky conditions,” said Cooper. “Obviously it's raining here today, so I've been going over logs and side tilts, but the best way to keep a vehicle stable is to keep it as even as possible. We want to try and replicate that in very difficult terrain”

The product is still in prototype development right now, but the company will begin taking orders by the end of 2022. To learn more about the company and their invention, click here.