Volvo To Use Fossil-Free Steel in its Trucks

By Dominic Chopping

STOCKHOLM--Swedish truck maker Volvo AB said Tuesday it is introducing fossil-free steel into its trucks, with its range of heavy-duty electric trucks the first to include it.

The steel is produced by Swedish company SSAB AB, and uses new technology based on hydrogen with a much lower climate impact than conventionally-produced steel, it added.

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 they are built of," said Jessica Sandstrom, Volvo Trucks senior vice president product management.

The first steel produced with hydrogen will be used in the truck's frame rails, and as the availability of fossil-free steel increases, will be introduced in other parts of the truck, it said.

Volvo said that around 30% of materials in a new Volvo truck currently come from recycled materials and up to 90% of the truck can be recycled at the end of its life.

Last year, Volvo launched its first vehicle made of fossil-free steel from SSAB, a load carrier for use in mining and quarrying.

Volvo has committed to be climate-neutral and achieve net zero value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 at the latest.

Write to Dominic Chopping at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 24, 2022 03:45 ET (07:45 GMT)

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