From 2025 onwards, Volvo will increase the use of ‘greener’ steel for truck production

Volvo Trucks will increase the use of steel produced with recycled material and fossil-free energy in the truck making processes. Indeed, the Swedish manufacturer has already delivered the very first trucks made with low-CO2-emissions steel, and similar targets have been announced by competitor Scania not long ago.

In technical terms, the new steel is produced by the Swedish steel company SSAB and called SSAB Zero. It is made from recycled material and produced using fossil-free electricity and biogas. As a result, CO2 is reduced by around 80% compared to the production of conventional steel using fossil energy. According to Volvo’s forecasts, next year, the frame rails in around 12,000 Volvo FH and FM trucks will be made of low-CO2-emission steel.

Steel is the main material used to make Volvo trucks

In fact, the main materials in a Volvo FH diesel truck are steel (47%), cast iron (26%), polymers (11%) and aluminium (8%). They stand for around 44%, 26%, 14% and 8% of the CO2 emissions from the production (cradle to gate) out of the total 21 tons CO2 Equivalents for the Volvo FH diesel.

“This is an additional step towards our zero emissions vision. Steel is one of the main materials in our trucks. We are also looking to exchange other materials, such as aluminium and plastic, to low emission alternatives. We are proud to lead the way in the industry when it comes to sustainable material in our trucks,” said Jan Hjelmgren, Senior Vice President Product Management and Quality, Volvo Trucks. “We are continuously striving to further minimize our climate footprint. We are also moving towards greater circularity in both our operations and our trucks. Many of our factories, transports and dealers are today running on renewable energy”.