Hulterström was born on 14 May 1938.[1][2] He was a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.[1] He worked at the Gothenburg City Council in the period 1971–1985 and served as the chairman of the municipal board for two terms, in the periods 1976–1979 and 1982–1985.[2] During his term Hulterström was one of the leading figures in the regionalisation process and was instrumental in the establishment of the county of Västra Götaland.[3]
Hulterström was the minister of communications (Transport) in the period 1985–1989 and minister of health and social affairs between 1989 and 1990.[2] The cabinets were led by first Olof Palme and then by Ingvar Carlsson.[4]
Hulterström was elected to the Riksdag in 1985 and served there until 2002.[2] He held several posts at the Riksdag, including the chairman of the general assembly from 1998 to 2002.[2] In 2003 he was named as the chairman of Stokab, an infrastructure company owned by the Stockholm Municipality.[5]
In November 2019 a book entitled Sven Hulterström – Ett liv i politikens centrum was published by the author Mats Wångersjö.[6]