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Stellantis reports data breach at third-party provider for North America

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Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, said on Sunday it had detected unauthorized access at a third-party service provider supporting its North American customer service operations.

The company confirmed that the breach exposed only basic contact information, with no financial or highly sensitive personal data compromised. Stellantis did not specify how many customers were affected.

“Upon discovery, we immediately activated our incident response protocols … and are directly informing affected customers,” Stellantis said, adding that authorities have been notified. The automaker urged customers to remain vigilant against phishing attempts.

The breach is the latest in a growing wave of cyberattacks targeting automakers. Earlier this month, Jaguar Land Rover was forced to shut factories until September 24 after a major cyber incident disrupted retail and production operations.

The rise in attacks reflects the increasing vulnerability of the automotive industry, as digital platforms and connected services become more integral to customer operations and vehicle support systems.

CATL to Begin Production at $8.5B Hungarian Battery Plant by Early 2026

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CATL, the world’s largest electric vehicle battery maker, expects to begin production at its new €7.3 billion ($8.55 billion) plant in Debrecen, Hungary by early 2026, according to its Europe general manager Matt Shen. The timeline marks a slight delay from initial plans to start operations by the end of 2025.

The Debrecen facility will become CATL’s largest European site, with an annual capacity of 100 GWh—enough to power millions of EVs—and a workforce of about 9,000 people. It will significantly overshadow the company’s existing factory in Thuringia, Germany, and supply automakers including BMW, Stellantis, and Volkswagen.

Shen told Reuters that production is now targeted to start “at the end of this year or beginning of the next year, so the next four, five months.” CATL is among several Chinese battery giants presenting at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, as European carmakers face growing pressure from Chinese competition in the EV transition.

Despite signs of sluggish EV demand in Europe, CATL remains bullish. The company increased its global market share to 38% in 2024, up from 36% the previous year, according to SNE Research. It also raised $4.6 billion in a Hong Kong listing in May to help finance the Hungarian project.

“There are always some fluctuations,” Shen said. “For the overall trend, there is no doubt about that.”

Lyten Acquires Bankrupt Northvolt, Aiming to Revive Europe’s Battery Ambitions

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U.S.-based battery startup Lyten has agreed to purchase most of bankrupt Swedish battery maker Northvolt, potentially offering the fallen European giant a second chance. The Silicon Valley company, backed by Stellantis and FedEx, specializes in developing lithium-sulphur cells — a cleaner alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Northvolt, once seen as Europe’s strongest contender against major Asian EV battery makers, filed for bankruptcy in March, marking one of Sweden’s largest corporate failures. Lyten CEO Dan Cook told Reuters the deal, struck at a “substantial discount” to the original asset value, aims to continue the work Northvolt had started. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch welcomed the agreement, calling it key to Europe’s energy independence.

Northvolt’s downfall was attributed to production challenges and failing to meet quality expectations, despite strong backing from customers like Scania. While Scania has not confirmed future orders from Lyten, it expressed satisfaction with the acquisition.

Lyten plans to restart Northvolt’s flagship Skelleftea plant in northern Sweden, with the goal of resuming lithium-ion battery deliveries by 2026. The acquisition also includes Northvolt’s energy storage business in Poland, its projects in Sweden and Germany, and its intellectual property. Work is underway to take over its Canadian operations as well.

Several former Northvolt executives will join Lyten, though not founder Peter Carlsson. The company will initially focus on securing high-yield production for a single customer before expanding to a broader market, targeting the automotive, defense, and energy storage sectors.

Lyten recently raised over $200 million in new equity to support its acquisitions and expansion, and Cook expressed confidence that automakers like BMW, Volkswagen, and Audi — once part of Northvolt’s $50 billion order book — could return sooner than expected.