Volvo: The First Truck Manufacturer to Use Fossil-Free Steel

Volvo Trucks announced that the frame rails of the heavy-duty electric Volvo will be manufactured from fossil-free steel. The brand plans to use this material in other parts of the truck as the availability of the material increases. Its introduction will take place in 3Q22. The steel is being produced by SSAB which has been an ally of Volvo since 2021.

Volvo Trucks is the first truck manufacturer to use this material on its heavy-vehicles. “The green transition of heavy transport is key for the world to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, not only by lowering tail-pipe emissions but also by including fossil-free steel as a material in vehicles,” said Olavi Huhtala, Head of SSAB Europe.

SSAB aims at reducing the carbon emissions from the steel industry to create fossil-free value chains. Fossil-free steel is the first of its kind as it is produced using a technology based on hydrogen instead of coal and coke. The latter causes most of the pollution in the production of steel. Volvo Group is the first costumer of SSAB to use its fossil-free steel. By using this material in its trucks, Volvo reinforces its commitment to bring innovative and competitive solutions to the market, while reaching its targets regarding sustainability. 

“Our electromobility solutions are on the way now and we continue to develop and deliver innovative technology to drive sustainable freight forwarding,” said Peter Voorhoeve, President, Volvo Trucks North America.

By 2040, Volvo aims to achieve climate neutrality and since 2019, the OEM has vowed that every new car it produces will be either partially or completely battery powered. Also, by 2025, Volvo aims to use 40 percent of recycled aluminum, 25 percent of recycled steel and 25 percent of bio-based plastics in its vehicles, as reported by a previous article of MBN.

“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 they are built of,” says Jessica Sandström, Senior Vice President Product Management, Volvo Trucks.

Currently, 30 percent of the materials in a Volvo truck are recycled. Moreover, across all of its brands, Volvo has implemented the use of alternative materials. For example, the brand’s C40 Pure Recharge is leather free and has partially recycled carpets. This vehicle was launched in early March in Mexico where Volvo has found a welcoming market. As part of its electrification targets in the country, Volvo expects 30 percent of its sold vehicles to be electric models by the end of 2022.