ArcelorMittal is supplying low-carbon steel for Daimler Truck’s “reECONIC” concept vehicle project, aimed at increasing the use of circular and recycled materials in commercial vehicle production.
The reEconic is a battery-electric concept vehicle developed by Daimler Truck and its Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks division together with 33 partners across the automotive supply chain to demonstrate the industrial application of circular economy principles.
According to the companies, up to 80pct of the materials used in the vehicle, including steel, aluminium, glass, and plastics, could eventually be replaced by recycled, bio-based, or renewable alternatives. A TUV-certified analysis also indicated that CO2 emissions during vehicle production could be reduced by up to 36pct.
ArcelorMittal supplied its XCarb recycled and renewably produced steel for structural and safety-related components of the vehicle, including chassis rails and body structures. The company stated that the steel components achieved an average recycled content of around 88pct.
Compared to conventional steel production routes, the supplied steel is expected to reduce cradle-to-gate CO2 emissions by approximately 60-70pct.
The companies added that the use of low-carbon steel in the project does not require major changes to existing vehicle designs or manufacturing processes, supporting scalability for future series production.