Volvo is moving forward with its plan to build more sustainable electric vehicles (EVs). The company has partnered with global steel maker SSAB to begin using high-quality recycled and carbon-free steel in its cars. This is the first time Volvo will use recycled steel in vehicles it produces on a large scale.
The move is part of Volvo’s larger strategy to shift to a fully electric vehicle lineup and to use more environmentally friendly materials. One of the company’s key goals is to improve how it uses resources by recycling steel scraps left over from making its cars.
Francesca Gamboni, Volvo’s Chief Supply Chain and Manufacturing Officer, said that steel is responsible for about 25% of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions during car production. She noted that cutting these emissions is important if Volvo wants to become carbon neutral by 2040.
Volvo plans to lower CO₂ emissions per vehicle by 65 to 75% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels. It also wants more than 35% of the materials in each new car to be recycled or made from bio-based sources.
The new recycled steel will first be used in the upcoming EX60 SUV. It will also be used in cars built on Volvo’s next-generation SPA3 platform. According to Volvo, the recycled steel is just as strong and safe as regular steel. It is made with a closed-loop system that cuts CO₂ emissions by nearly 100% compared to traditional European steel.
Volvo says its goal is that by 2030, more than 35% of the content in every new car will be either recycled or bio-based.
