Volvo is increasing the use of low-CO₂-emission steel in its trucks. This steel is produced with recycled material and fossil-free energy and will be used in tens of thousands of Volvo trucks starting next year.

Volvo was the world’s first truck manufacturer to introduce this type of steel in its electric trucks in 2022. Now the company is expanding the use of low-CO₂-emission steel to include all drivelines.

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.

Next year, the frame rails in around 12,000 Volvo FH and FM trucks will be made of low-CO₂-emission steel. This will result in savings of 6,600 tons of CO₂ Equivalents. As the availability of low-CO₂-emission steel increases, it will be introduced in more truck models as well as in other parts of the truck.

Volvo is also planning to replace other materials in its trucks with lower emissions alternatives.

The potential for lowering CO₂ emissions is high as almost half of the truck consists of steel (47% of a Volvo FH diesel truck), and it represents about 44% of the CO₂ emissions from the production (cradle to gate) out of the total 21 tons CO₂ Equivalents for the Volvo FH diesel.

Volvo Group is collaborating with several suppliers around low-CO₂-emission steel. Low-CO₂-emission steel will be an important complement to the traditional and recycled steel used in Volvo’s trucks.

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.