Volvo says it is about to introduce fossil-free steel in the construction of its trucks, claiming to be the first in the world to do so. The steel is produced by Swedish steel company SSAB 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 material will initially be used in the frame rails of Volvo’s heavy electric trucks from the third quarter of 2022. As the availability of fossil-free steel increases, it will be introduced to other parts of the truck.

Jessica Sandström, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Volvo Trucks said, “We are continuously striving to further minimise our climate footprint. 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.”Volvo says around 30% of the materials in a new Volvo truck come from recycled materials and up to 90% of the vehicle can be recycled at the end of its life.

Photo: Jessica Sandström.