Credit Facilities	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Credit Facilities	Credit Facilities Revolving Line of Credit In July 2015, the Company entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with East West Bank (“EWB”), whereby EWB made available to the Company a secured credit facility in the form of a revolving line of credit (the “Revolving Line of Credit”). The Revolving Line of Credit is available up to a maximum of the lesser of: (a) $25.0 million; or (b) a certain percentage of domestic and foreign trade receivables. As of September 30, 2016 the amount available under the Revolving Line of Credit was $10.7 million. In general, amounts borrowed under the Revolving Line of Credit are secured by a lien on all of the Company’s assets, including its intellectual property, as well as a pledge of 100% of its equity interests in Maxwell SA. The obligations under the Loan Agreement are also guaranteed directly by Maxwell SA. The Revolving Line of Credit will mature on July 3, 2018. In the event that the Company is in violation of the representations, warranties and covenants made in the Loan Agreement, including certain financial covenants set forth therein, the Company may not be able to utilize the Revolving Line of Credit or repayment of amounts owed pursuant to the Loan Agreement could be accelerated. The Company is currently in compliance with the financial covenants that it is required to meet during the term of the credit agreement including the minimum four-quarter rolling EBITDA, quarterly minimum quick ratio and monthly minimum cash requirements. On October 31, 2016, the Company entered into an amendment to the Loan Agreement to modify certain financial covenants. Amounts borrowed under the Revolving Line of Credit bear interest, payable monthly. Such interest shall accrue based upon, at the Company’s election, subject to certain limitations, either a Prime Rate plus a margin ranging from 0% to 0.50% or the LIBOR Rate plus a margin ranging from 2.75% to 3.25%, the specific rate for each as determined based upon the Company’s leverage ratio from time to time. The Company is required to pay an annual commitment fee equal to $125,000, and an unused commitment fee of the average daily unused amount of the Revolving Line of Credit, payable monthly, equal to a per annum rate in a range of 0.30% to 0.50%, as determined by the Company’s leverage ratio on the last day of the previous fiscal quarter. No amounts have been borrowed under this Revolving Line of Credit as of September 30, 2016. Former Credit Facility In December 2011, the Company obtained a secured credit facility in the form of a revolving line of credit (the “Former Revolving Line of Credit”) and an equipment term loan (the “Equipment Term Loan”) (together, the “Former Credit Facility”). Borrowings under the Former Credit Facility bore interest, payable monthly, at either (i) the bank’s prime rate or (ii) LIBOR plus 2.25%, at the Company’s option, subject to certain limitations. The balance of the Equipment Term Loan was paid in full by the maturity date of April 30, 2015. Concurrently with entering into the Loan Agreement described above, in July 2015, the Company repaid all outstanding loans under the Former Revolving Line of Credit and the Former Credit Facility was terminated. The Company did not incur any early termination or prepayment penalties under the Former Credit Facility in connection with the above transactions. Other Long-term Borrowings The Company has various financing agreements for vehicles. These agreements are for up to an original three year repayment period with interest rates ranging from 0.9% to 3.9%. At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, $100,000 and $91,000, respectively, was outstanding under these financing agreements.

Credit Facilities

Revolving Line of Credit

In July 2015, the Company entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with East West Bank (“EWB”), whereby EWB made available to the Company a secured credit facility in the form of a revolving line of credit (the “Revolving Line of Credit”). The Revolving Line of Credit is available up to a maximum of the lesser of: (a) $25.0 million; or (b) a certain percentage of domestic and foreign trade receivables. As of September 30, 2016 the amount available under the Revolving Line of Credit was $10.7 million. In general, amounts borrowed under the Revolving Line of Credit are secured by a lien on all of the Company’s assets, including its intellectual property, as well as a pledge of 100% of its equity interests in Maxwell SA. The obligations under the Loan Agreement are also guaranteed directly by Maxwell SA. The Revolving Line of Credit will mature on July 3, 2018. In the event that the Company is in violation of the representations, warranties and covenants made in the Loan Agreement, including certain financial covenants set forth therein, the Company may not be able to utilize the Revolving Line of Credit or repayment of amounts owed pursuant to the Loan Agreement could be accelerated. The Company is currently in compliance with the financial covenants that it is required to meet during the term of the credit agreement including the minimum four-quarter rolling EBITDA, quarterly minimum quick ratio and monthly minimum cash requirements. On October 31, 2016, the Company entered into an amendment to the Loan Agreement to modify certain financial covenants.

Amounts borrowed under the Revolving Line of Credit bear interest, payable monthly. Such interest shall accrue based upon, at the Company’s election, subject to certain limitations, either a Prime Rate plus a margin ranging from 0% to 0.50% or the LIBOR Rate plus a margin ranging from 2.75% to 3.25%, the specific rate for each as determined based upon the Company’s leverage ratio from time to time.

The Company is required to pay an annual commitment fee equal to $125,000, and an unused commitment fee of the average daily unused amount of the Revolving Line of Credit, payable monthly, equal to a per annum rate in a range of 0.30% to 0.50%, as determined by the Company’s leverage ratio on the last day of the previous fiscal quarter. No amounts have been borrowed under this Revolving Line of Credit as of September 30, 2016.

Former Credit Facility

In December 2011, the Company obtained a secured credit facility in the form of a revolving line of credit (the “Former Revolving Line of Credit”) and an equipment term loan (the “Equipment Term Loan”) (together, the “Former Credit Facility”). Borrowings under the Former Credit Facility bore interest, payable monthly, at either (i) the bank’s prime rate or (ii) LIBOR plus 2.25%, at the Company’s option, subject to certain limitations. The balance of the Equipment Term Loan was paid in full by the maturity date of April 30, 2015. Concurrently with entering into the Loan Agreement described above, in July 2015, the Company repaid all outstanding loans under the Former Revolving Line of Credit and the Former Credit Facility was terminated. The Company did not incur any early termination or prepayment penalties under the Former Credit Facility in connection with the above transactions.

Other Long-term Borrowings

The Company has various financing agreements for vehicles. These agreements are for up to an original three year repayment period with interest rates ranging from 0.9% to 3.9%. At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, $100,000 and $91,000, respectively, was outstanding under these financing agreements.