Volvo EX60 shows how recycled steel is reshaping cars today

The automotive industry is changing. For many years, the evolution of cars was measured mainly by power, range, comfort, or the technology available on board. Today, there is another increasingly important factor: the way each car is produced.

It is precisely at this point that the new Volvo EX60 stands out. The model is preparing to become the first mass-produced car in the world to use SSAB Zero™ steel, a material made from recycled scrap and developed to significantly reduce the emissions associated with steel production.

More than a technical innovation, this decision shows how the future of the automobile may involve more sustainable materials, more efficient industrial processes, and greater concern for the carbon footprint from the very beginning.

Recycled steel enters automotive production

Steel remains one of the most important materials in the construction of a car. It is present in the body structure, in safety components, and in several essential areas to guarantee strength, durability, and protection.

However, steel production accounts for a relevant share of the emissions associated with vehicle manufacturing. For that reason, finding more sustainable alternatives without compromising final quality has become a priority for several manufacturers.

In the case of the Volvo EX60, the use of recycled steel is integrated into the European CiSMA project, Circular Steel for Mass Market Applications, an initiative funded by the European Union that brings together steel producers, industrial manufacturers, research centres, and technology specialists.

The goal of this project is to demonstrate that it is possible to produce high-quality steel from recycled material and apply it in a large-scale industrial context, including in the automotive industry.

Why is the Volvo EX60 important in this process?

Volvo Cars is one of the companies participating in the CiSMA project and will play an active role in evaluating these new materials under real production conditions. The Volvo EX60 will be one of the models used to test automotive components produced with recycled steel.

These tests will make it possible to analyse factors such as structural performance, durability, integration into industrial processes, and compliance with the quality and safety standards required by the automotive industry.

This is an essential point. In a car, sustainability cannot come at the expense of safety or reliability. Any new material must guarantee the same level of strength and performance as the materials traditionally used.

For that reason, the Volvo EX60 takes on an important role as a validation model. If the results are positive, this technology could pave the way for wider use of recycled steel in European automotive production.

A technology with the potential to reduce emissions

At the centre of this project is Electric Arc Furnace technology, known as the electric arc furnace. This process makes it possible to produce steel from recycled scrap, using electricity instead of traditional blast furnace-based methods.

According to those responsible for the project, this technology could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 75% when compared with conventional steelmaking processes.

This reduction is particularly relevant because the sustainability of a car is no longer limited only to consumption, electrification, or emissions during use. Increasingly, environmental impact is analysed throughout the entire life cycle of the vehicle, from the origin of materials to production, use, and recycling.

By investing in recycled steel, Volvo seeks to reduce the environmental footprint of its vehicles right from an early stage: the choice and production of materials.

A step toward a more circular automotive industry

Volvo Cars’ participation in the CiSMA project is aligned with the brand’s ambition to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. To reach that goal, it is not enough to develop more efficient or electric cars. It is also necessary to transform the production chain.

Recycled steel can play an important role in that change. By reusing scrap and reducing dependence on virgin raw materials, the automotive industry can move toward a more circular, more resilient model, and one less dependent on traditional production methods.

The Volvo EX60 therefore emerges as more than just a new model. It represents a clear sign that the future of the automobile is also built behind the scenes, in the materials chosen and in the industrial processes that give rise to each vehicle.

If the use of recycled steel in mass production confirms its viability, this could be an important step toward a new generation of cars: more technological, more efficient, and also more responsible in the way they are produced.

Sources: aNOTICIA, Imagens de Marca, Volvo.