Volvo Trucks has begun using fossil-free steel in its trucks, with the first electric vehicles incorporating fossil-free steel parts now being delivered to customers.
“Our journey to net-zero emissions includes both making our vehicles fossil free in operation and, over time, fully replacing the material in our trucks with fossil-free and recycled alternatives,” says Volvo Trucks product management senior VP Jessica Sandström.
The fossil-free steel is produced by Swedish steel manufacturer SSAB and is made by using a new technology with fossil-free electricity and hydrogen.
The result is a lower impact on the climate, and another step for Volvo towards reaching a net-zero emissions value chain.
Among the customers that will have fossil-free steel in some of their electric trucks are Amazon and DFDS and, through the transport company Simon Loos, Unilever.
“At Amazon, we are on the way to make all of our operations net-zero carbon by 2040,” says Amazon transportation services Europe VP Andreas Marschner.
“We need partners like Volvo to make this transition happen.”
“DFDS is committed to our green transition and to deliver greener transport and logistics solutions,” adds DFDS logistics division executive VP Niklas Andersson.
“Any step in the green transition of logistics brings us closer to a carbon-free society and we are, therefore, happy to learn that some of our new electric trucks, soon to be delivered, are also produced with fossil-free steel.”
The first steel produced with hydrogen is being used in the electric truck’s frame rails – the backbone of the truck upon which all other main components are mounted.
As the availability of fossil-free steel increases, it will also be introduced in other parts of the truck.
Also, today, around 30% of the materials in a new Volvo truck come from recycled materials.
In addition to this, up to 90% of the truck can be recycled at the end of its life.
Fossil-free steel will be an important complement to the traditional and recycled steel used in Volvo’s trucks, says the Swedish truck maker.