Die Rahmenträger in Zehntausenden von Volvo Lkw werden aus CO2-armem Stahl gefertigt. Foto: Volvo Trucks
Volvo is now increasingly using low-CO2 steel in its trucks. As the world’s first truck manufacturer to introduce this type of steel in its electric trucks in 2022, the company is now extending the use of low-CO2 steel to the entire powertrain. The new steel is produced by the Swedish steel company SSAB and is called SSAB Zero. It is made from recycled material and is produced using fossil-free electricity and biogas. This reduces CO2 emissions by around 80% compared to the production of conventional steel using fossil fuels.
Next year, the frame beams of around 12,000 Volvo FH and Volvo FM models will be made from low-CO2 steel. This will result in a saving of 6,600 tons of CO2 equivalents. In the future, as low-CO2 steel becomes more available, it will be used in other truck models and in other parts of the truck. Volvo also plans to replace other materials in its trucks with lower-emission alternatives.
“This is another step towards our vision of zero emissions. Steel is one of the main materials in our trucks. We also plan to replace other materials such as aluminum and plastic with low-emission alternatives – and we are proud to be leading the industry when it comes to sustainable materials in our trucks,” says Jan Hjelmgren, Senior Vice President Product Management and Quality at Volvo Trucks.
Half of the truck is made of steel
The potential for reducing CO2 emissions is great, as almost half of a truck is made of steel (47% of a Volvo FH diesel truck), and it accounts for about 44% of the CO2 emissions from production (from source to gate) of the total 21 tons of CO2 equivalents for the Volvo FH diesel. The Volvo Group is working with several suppliers to produce low CO2 steel. Low CO2 steel will be an important addition to the traditional and recycled steel used in Volvo trucks.
The most important materials in a Volvo FH diesel truck are steel (47%), cast iron (26%), polymers (11%) and aluminum (8%). They account for approximately 44%, 26%, 14% and 8% of CO2 emissions from production (from source to gate) out of a total of 21 tons of CO2 equivalent for the Volvo FH diesel.
