Piline Motors and Nanointech to Jointly Develop Battery Packs... "Kickstarting Electric Bus Localization"

Development of Battery Packs for Electric Buses Based on Domestic NCM Cells
Piline Motors Transitions into a Domestic Electric Bus Manufacturer

Pilarin Motors and Nanointech are taking a commemorative photo after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the joint development of electric bus battery packs. Pilarin Motors

Piline Motors, a supplier of electric buses, announced on March 5 that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the localization and development of battery packs for electric buses with Nanointech, a company specializing in battery packs. Piline Motors is headed by CEO Hong Seongbeom, and Nanointech is led by CEO Park Byungho.

On the same day, the two companies held the MOU signing ceremony at Nanointech's headquarters in Wonju, Gangwon Province. They agreed to cooperate on the localization and development of battery packs to be installed in Piline Motors' electric buses, as well as on establishing a stable supply system.

Under the terms of this MOU, the two companies will jointly develop battery packs for electric buses based on high-efficiency, high-energy-density nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) cells supplied by major domestic battery cell manufacturers. They will collaborate on the application, validation, and mass production preparation of battery packs for all large, semi-large, and medium-sized electric bus models.

Piline Motors will provide design information such as vehicle specifications, driving patterns, and performance requirements. Nanointech will design and produce the battery packs based on this information, and will also conduct drive battery safety certifications and related tests and certifications, including UN 38.3. If localization development is successfully completed, Piline Motors will give priority consideration to Nanointech as its battery pack partner.

Piline Motors stated that the signing of this MOU marks the first concrete step toward transitioning into a domestic electric bus manufacturer. Previously, Piline Motors had supplied electric buses through an ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) partnership with China's Higer. In 2024, the company completed its first plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and has since been accelerating its shift to domestic production.

Currently, Piline Motors equips its electric buses with batteries produced at the Chinese plant of Microvast (MVST) in the United States. The company's push to adopt domestically produced battery packs appears to be influenced by the government's electric bus subsidy policy.

A Piline Motors representative explained, "The government's electric bus subsidy policy, which will be strengthened from 2026, will use battery energy density and safety standards as key evaluation criteria, so securing domestically produced battery packs is essential for maintaining subsidy competitiveness."

As of the end of 2025, Piline Motors has achieved cumulative sales of over 1,500 units. The company announced that, starting with the localization of battery packs, it plans to gradually expand the internalization of technology for key components.

Hong Seongbeom, CEO of Piline Motors, stated, "The development of domestically produced battery packs is a core task for Piline Motors to transform from an importer of Chinese electric buses into a genuine domestic electric bus manufacturer. By combining Nanointech's battery pack technology with Piline Motors' know-how in electric bus manufacturing, we will be able to produce competitive products that can fully respond to the strengthened electric bus subsidy policy."

On January 30, Piline Motors' board of directors appointed Hong Seongbeom, a former member of the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA), as the new CEO.

Park Byungho, CEO of Nanointech, said, "This MOU is more than a simple supply contract; it is the starting point of a strategic partnership aimed at significantly enhancing the competitiveness of South Korea's eco-friendly mobility industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.