The Volkswagen Group and Thyssenkrupp Steel have agreed on a partnership for the delivery of CO2-reduced steel. It is scheduled to start in 2028 and significantly reduce emissions in automotive production.
VW and Thyssenkrupp Steel have signed a letter of intent for the delivery of CO2-reduced steel. The signing took place at the International Suppliers Fair IZB in Wolfsburg.
The product is called bluemint® Steel and is to be produced in a new hydrogen-powered direct reduction plant. Deliveries of bluemint steel to VW are scheduled to begin in 2028 and then be gradually expanded.
An average vehicle contains 1,000 kilograms of steel. In electric vehicles, the steel requirement is even higher due to the battery unit. This means that steel accounts for around 15 to 20 percent of the CO2 emissions in the production of electric vehicles. Steel solutions play a central role in the mobility transition, not only as a material for generators and electric motors, but also as the preferred material for body construction and other structural components of electric vehicles.
New DRI Plant from Thyssenkrupp from 2027
Thyssenkrupp Steel plans to put a direct reduction plant (DRI) into operation from 2027. In the plant, the company initially wants to use natural gas as a reducing agent and later switch to hydrogen. When operated with 100 percent renewable hydrogen, the steel is said to achieve the LESS label A - the highest certification for climate-friendly steel. The LESS label documents:
- The carbon footprint of the product
- The climate impact of production
- Compliance with the requirements of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection
VW is not the first automaker to rely on hydrogen-based steel. At the end of 2023, Porsche AG has already signed a contract for the delivery of hydrogen-based, CO2-reduced steel.
