Volvo Trucks: now with fossil-free steel

31st May 2022

Volvo is now introducing fossil-free steel in its trucks. The steel is produced by Swedish company SSAB and will first be included in the heavy-duty electric Volvo trucks.

The steel from SSAB is produced using a completely new technology based on hydrogen. The result is a much lower climate impact than conventionally produced steel. Small scale introduction of the steel in Volvo’s heavy electric trucks will begin in the third quarter of 2022.

“We will increase the use of fossil-free materials in all our trucks to make them net-zero not only in operation, but also when it comes to the materials from which they are built,” says Jessica Sandström, senior vice president of product management at Volvo Trucks.

The first steel produced with hydrogen will be used in the truck’s frame rails – the backbone of the truck on which all the other main components are mounted. As the availability of fossil-free steel increases, it will also be introduced in other parts of the truck.

Today, around 30% of the materials in a new Volvo truck come from recycled materials, while up to 90% of the truck can be recycled at the end of its life.

“We are continuously striving to further minimise our climate footprint. We are also moving towards greater circularity in both our operations and our trucks,” says Sandström.

Volvo Group has been collaborating with SSAB on fossil-free steel since 2021. The first machine, a load carrier made of fossil-free steel, was showcased in October last year.