Volvo Plans for Fossil-Free Steel in Trucks
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Volvo Group has signed a collaboration agreement with steel company SSAB covering research, development, serial production and commercialization of what Volvo called the world’s first vehicles to be made of fossil-free steel.
Volvo plans to start production this year of concept vehicles and components from SSAB steel using fossil-free electricity and hydrogen, according to the Sweden-based company.
- This is an important step on the road to completely climate-neutral transports, says Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO at Volvo Group.
Volvo Group and SSAB to collaborate on the world’s first vehicles of #FossilFreeSteel.
Read more: https://t.co/NJcZHNgacU pic.twitter.com/4Y9PBdbbIS— Volvo Group (@VolvoGroup) April 8, 2021
Volvo said the step was important on its way to climate-neutral trucks, and is intended to complement the traditional and recycled steel used in Volvo’s trucks, construction equipment and other products.
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“We are determined to be a climate-neutral company by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement,” Volvo CEO Martin Lundstedt said in a release. “This means that our vehicles and machines will be emission-free when in operation but also that we will review the materials, like steel, used in our products and will gradually switch to fossil-free alternatives here as well.”
Fossil-free hydrogen, which will replace coal and coke, is a crucial part of the production technique for fossil-free iron and steel production, in which emissions of carbon dioxide virtually will be eliminated, SSAB reported. The company is based in Stockholm. It noted it is the largest producer and supplier of heavy plate in North America, with a market share of 33% in 2020.
The collaboration also includes a review of common logistics solutions that can contribute to reducing SSAB’s environmental impact from internal and external transports. The goal is to use Volvo’s vehicles powered by batteries or fuel cells. — Transport Topics
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