First Ever Fossil-Free, Steel-Bodied Vehicle Launched by Volvo Group

Recently, we saw the launch of a fossil-free, steel-bodied vehicle by the Volvo Group. According to several reliable sources, Volvo has been working in collaboration with Swedish steel producer SSAB in order to create a steel type that can be used for vehicles and would not require the use of fossil fuels. Now, the collaboration has resulted in the revelation of what is said to be the world’s first ever vehicle made from fossil-free steel.

The vehicle is a four-wheeled load carrier made for working in mining and quarrying fields. The vehicle does not omit any greenhouse gases and works entirely autonomously. The vehicle can be preprogrammed to follow a route set for it, and as a result, it can deliver materials to and from a jobsite.

It should be noted that the vehicle is not entirely fossil free as it has certain components, like the electric motor, which were acquired through third-party suppliers. Those components were made through traditional means, but according to the Volvo Group CTO, the majority of the steel used to make the vehicle is fossil free. He revealed that of the machine’s 8.2-ton carrier, around 3 tons is built with the green steel created by SSAB. Other heavy components of the machine such as the tires are also included in the total eight tons.

Plans Going Forward

Volvo Group is planning to launch a small-scale production next year if the steel from SSAB is readily available. We may very well see more fossil-free steel vehicles in the future as the Swedish manufacturers are looking to mass produce the fossil-free steel in 2026. Since Volvo has set a target for itself to have net zero emissions by the year 2040, this new venture is a step forward in that direction. Volvo intends to make more use of the steel to achieve that goal, and subdivisions like Volvo Cars are planning to make a concept car with the steel as soon as possible.