News

Aug 02, 2023

Ram 1500 Backcountry X Concept Takes 'Remote Working' to New Levels

SEMA concept has a desk and a vacuum cleaner, two things you might have thought

SEMA concept has a desk and a vacuum cleaner, two things you might have thought you didn't want to take on an adventure, but maybe you would in a package this attractive.

Adding tons of cargo space and customized storage options to the standard Ram 1500 truck, Mopar's Ram 1500 Backcountry X concept vehicle makes its debut at SEMA this week. The concepts explored here involve work, practical storage, and a bit of style.

Up first are new ways to use the RamBox cargo management system. The Ram 1500 Backcountry X concept features newly designed storage compartments for the RamPack that are located above the standard RamBox on each side of the bed. Mopar said the design doesn't compromise the functionality of the truck's bed. The compartments include shelves, vertical bin dividers, and tie-down loops to contain whatever you've put into the 12.3 cubic feet of extra space.

Mopar said the Ram 1500 Backcountry X uses a telescoping storage-rack system that was first shown on the Ram 1500 Outdoorsman concept at last year's SEMA show. There is also a custom RamGate task-bench insert designed for woodworkers on the inside panel of the tailgate. There are extra Thule crossrails above the bed and two-inch TYRI LED lights on the corners of the RamRack.

The Backcountry X isn't just about hauling more gear. The exterior two-tone exterior blends Matte Iced Silver Titanium and matte black. The truck also has a two-inch lift kit with Fox shocks and four Mopar 5-inch LED off-road lights on a tubular grille guard. The wheels are 20-by-9.0-inch matte black Fuel Heater units with 37-inch BFGoodrich tires. Tube steps on the side rails and a rear bed step help people get up into the truck.

The interior features front-row bucket seats in neutral green, with orange accent stitching that matches the anodized orange air vents. Envisioned as a working vehicle, the Backcountry X Concept has a 12-by-14-inch deployable work surface between the two front seats. There's even a concept RamVac onboard vacuum cleaner under the second-row bench seat.

Aside from the Backcountry X, Mopar is bringing another 10 concepts or modified vehicles. The Jeep CJ Surge, the TRX Gold Shot, and eight Jeep custom vehicles are also making their SEMA debuts this year. SEMA runs November 1–4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Sebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology's importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.

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