PLINE Motors

PLINE Motors (Korean: 주식회사 피라인모터스) is a South Korean company founded on 17 September 2003 and headquartered at 24 Gasan Digital 1-ro, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. It operates as an electric bus manufacturer and as the import agent for Chinese Higer buses, positioning itself as an "e-Mobility Total Solution Provider" that builds a green public infrastructure platform. Its business spans electric buses, charging infrastructure, and system projects in renewable energy. The company's electric bus brand is HYPER, under which it markets several models: the HYPERS 1611P, a low-floor electric city bus standard model optimized for Korean operating conditions; the HYPERS 1609P, a semi-large low-floor city bus suited to both urban and rural public transport; the HYPERS H, a multi-purpose high-floor seated city bus for public transport and shuttle services; and the PRIME HYPERS 1611, a premium high-floor electric bus for intercity, express, and public bus standard routes. It also sells semi-knockdown (SKD) assembled models such as the KPURS 1072LE, KPURS 3072HE, KPURS 1096LE, KPURS 1110LE, KPURS 1110HE, KPURS 1116C, and K-TEG6125, alongside imported Higer HYPERS 1609, 1611, HP, and Prime series. PLINE Motors partners with Higer Bus Co., Ltd. (China's No. 2 manufacturer), CRRC Electric Vehicle Co., Ltd. (the world's No. 1 high-speed rail vehicle maker), and Microvast Power Systems (a battery supplier with no accident history). Its charging infrastructure solution covers charger manufacturing, consulting, construction, operation, and maintenance. As of December 2025 it had 98 employees, a headquarters in Seoul, and a factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. It reached cumulative electric bus sales of 1,000 units in 2024 and was selected for the Ministry of Environment's regional zero-emission vehicle conversion brand project. In 2025 it converted convertible bonds and redeemable convertible preferred shares into common stock to reduce its high debt ratio, and it withdrew a planned listing with Daishin Securities as underwriter. In October 2025 it issued a voluntary recall for 83 Higer HYPERS 11 buses due to a daytime running light manufacturing defect.

PLINE Motors was established on 17 September 2003 as PLINE Co., Ltd. (주식회사 피라인). In its early years it focused on engineering and technology: it established a corporate research institute in 2007, registered as a venture company in 2008, obtained ISO 9001 certification in 2006, and registered as an engineering business in 2011. In 2014 it achieved nuclear safety grade Q-class certification. A major strategic shift came in 2017 when it signed an exclusive contract with China's Higer Bus, becoming the import agent for Higer electric buses in South Korea. That same year it won its first electric bus contract with Changwon City. In 2018 it built Seoul's first electric bus charging infrastructure for Dowon Transportation and was selected as an electric bus supplier for Seoul. In 2020 cumulative electric bus sales reached 100 units. In 2021 the company changed its name to PLINE Motors (주식회사 피라인모터스), received its first investment from Vidi Labs and M Capital, obtained Inno-Biz certification, and was recognized as an excellent partner by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. In 2022 it was selected for the Ministry of Environment's regional zero-emission vehicle conversion brand project with a subsidy of 4.1 billion won, and as a charging infrastructure builder. In 2023 it received the Korea Value Management Award and a Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy commendation, accompanied the President on a state visit to Saudi Arabia and signed an MOU for electric charger supply, and was selected again for the zero-emission vehicle brand project with a subsidy of 6.2 billion won. In 2024 it achieved cumulative electric bus sales of 1,000 units, began domestic assembly production, signed MOUs for an electric vehicle production plant in Seocheon Janghang National Industrial Complex and a Microvast battery packaging plant in Korea, completed its Hwaseong factory, obtained TI2 technology grade certification, and won the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award as a venture billion-won company. In 2025 it converted convertible bonds and redeemable convertible preferred shares into common stock to reduce its high debt ratio, and withdrew a planned listing with Daishin Securities as underwriter. In October 2025 it issued a voluntary recall for 83 Higer HYPERS 11 buses due to a daytime running light defect.

• Founded as PLINE Co., Ltd.

• Obtained ISO 9001 certification

• Established corporate research institute

• Registered as a venture company

• Registered as an engineering business

• Achieved nuclear safety grade Q-class

• Signed exclusive contract with China's Higer Bus; won first electric bus contract with Changwon City

• Built Seoul's first electric bus charging infrastructure for Dowon Transportation; selected as Seoul electric bus supplier

• Cumulative electric bus sales reached 100 units

• Changed name to PLINE Motors; received first investment from Vidi Labs and M Capital; obtained Inno-Biz certification

• Selected for Ministry of Environment's zero-emission vehicle conversion brand project (4.1 billion won subsidy); selected as charging infrastructure builder

• Received Korea Value Management Award and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy commendation; signed MOU for electric charger supply in Saudi Arabia; selected again for zero-emission vehicle brand project (6.2 billion won subsidy)

• Cumulative electric bus sales reached 1,000 units; began domestic assembly production; signed MOUs for EV plant and Microvast battery packaging plant; completed Hwaseong factory; obtained TI2 certification; won Minister of SMEs and Startups Award

• Converted CB and RCPS to common stock to reduce debt ratio; withdrew planned listing with Daishin Securities

• Voluntary recall of 83 Higer HYPERS 11 buses due to daytime running light defect

e-Mobility Total Solution Provider building a green public infrastructure platform, offering electric buses, charging infrastructure, and renewable energy systems.

• HYPERS 1611P

  Low-floor electric city bus standard model optimized for Korean operating conditions.

• HYPERS 1609P

  Semi-large low-floor city bus optimized for diverse public transport from cities to rural areas.

• HYPERS H

  Multi-purpose high-floor seated city bus standard model for public transport and shuttle buses.

• PRIME HYPERS 1611

  Premium high-floor electric bus for intercity, express, and public bus standard routes.

• KPURS 1072LE

  Semi-knockdown assembled bus model.

• KPURS 3072HE

  Semi-knockdown assembled bus model.

• KPURS 1096LE

  Semi-knockdown assembled bus model.

• KPURS 1110LE

  Semi-knockdown assembled bus model.

• KPURS 1110HE

  Semi-knockdown assembled bus model.

• KPURS 1116C

  Semi-knockdown assembled bus model.

• K-TEG6125

  Semi-knockdown assembled bus model.

1. 1(주)피라인모터스plinemotors.co.kr
2. 2(주)피라인모터스 - 회사소개plinemotors.co.kr
3. 3(주)피라인모터스 - ESG 경영plinemotors.co.kr
4. 4(주)피라인모터스 - 파트너사plinemotors.co.kr
5. 5PLINE Motors - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6피라인모터스 - 위키백과ko.wikipedia.org