Automotive Steel – A huge market in urgent need of environmental action
The sale of new vehicles with internal combustion engines will be banned across the European Union by 2035. The shift to electric vehicles is essential to clean up our air, slash carbon emissions and ensure the future competitiveness of the car industry.
But there is a growing awareness that we need to also look beyond tailpipe emissions when it comes to decarbonising transport.
As major consumers of steel, the automotive industry must transition to clean steel. Steel production accounts for around 12% of global carbon emissions and over one tenth of global steel production by volume goes into the automotive sector. That’s 225 million tonnes of steel – producing 427.5 million tonnes of CO2.
For example, Germany’s automotive sector employs almost 800,00 people across over 900 OEMs and suppliers. With an industry turnover of over €400 billion and exports of €270 billion in 2022, it is an essential part of European economy.
Demand for high-strength, lightweight steels, makes the automotive sector a lucrative market for steelmakers, worth over €110 billion a year, and demand in the sector is overwhelmingly met using steel from coal powered blast furnaces – an approach which has changed little since the first cars rolled off the production lines. Making the 900kg of steel in the average new vehicle today requires around 700kg of coal.
The good news is that green steel is on the way – and many leading companies in the automotive sector have already committed to the transition.
Join us to hear about why car makers, suppliers and customers are making the move to green steel, what the transition means for steel users and what needs to happen to speed up the transition.
Discussion topics:
- Green steel – what is it, how much will it cost, when will it be available?
- Practical action – how companies are working with their supply chains to build greener vehicles.
- Future trends – what actions are needed to speed up the transition to green steel?
Participants
Event Host
- Andrew Forth, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Climate Group
Speakers
- Simon Buckingham, Technical Leader – Sustainable Materials, Volvo Cars
- Rob Jenkinson, Net Zero Program Manager, SKF Group
- Laura Sguotti, Automotive Sustainability Manager, SKF Group
- Samuel Flückiger, Head of EU Climate Policy, ThyssenKrupp Steel
Interested?
Join us for vital insights and hard-hitting discussion on the importance of green steel to decarbonising the automotive sector. Click here to register.