S60 and V60 Polestar electric cars being assembled at Volvo's Torslanda manufacturing plant in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Car Group
Volvo has announced plans to manufacture cars using fossil fuel-free steel by 2026. The company is partnering with Swedish steel firm SSAB to source steel made with hydrogen.
Generally, steel is made by combining iron with a carbon-rich form of coal called “coke” in a blast furnace. The process produces large amounts of carbon dioxide as a byproduct and has proven to be one of the more intractable barriers to curbing global CO2 emissions. SSAB plans to produce steel with hydrogen in lieu of coal, using fossil fuel-free electricity.
Volvo estimates that steel accounts for 35 percent of the carbon emissions associated with the production of its gas- and diesel-powered cars, the Guardian reported. Swapping coke with hydrogen is expected to cut steel-related emissions by upwards of 90 percent.
Volvo will begin producing the first concept cars with low-carbon steel this year. Along with its goal of manufacturing only electric vehicles by 2030, Volvo’s plans to source low-carbon steel will be an important component of its goal of becoming completely carbon-neutral. Volvo is the first major carmaker to commit to using fossil fuel-free steel, according to the Guardian.
“We are determined to be a climate-neutral company by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement,” said Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO at Volvo Group. “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. This is an important step on the road to completely climate-neutral transport.”
