Frequently Asked Questions About Imara
Q: What does Imara do?
A: Imara employs patented materials science to design and manufacture high-power, long-runtime, extended cycle-life lithium-ion battery cells and packs. Imara batteries are designed primarily for high-power applications including power tools, outdoor power equipment, and vehicles.
Q: Where is Imara headquartered?
A: Imara is headquartered in our research and manufacturing facility in Menlo Park, California. By locating R&D along with pilot manufacturing and small volume production, Imara can rapidly develop new cells and optimize the manufacturing process. Once validated, our manufacturing lines will be deployed in the U.S. and globally near our customers' locations.
Q: Who is financing your company?
A: Imara Corp. is funded by top-tier Silicon Valley venture capital firms Battery Ventures and Nth Power.
Q: How did the business start?
A: Imara Corp. was founded by Jeff Depew and George Blomgren in 2006 to develop and commercialize next- generation high-power and high-energy lithium-ion batteries and packs, targeting power tools and emerging cleantech markets. The initial core technology, patented and under exclusive license from the Stanford Research Institute (SRI), was developed and funded in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Partnership for the Next Generation Vehicle (PNGV) initiative.
Q: What industries are you working in?
A: Imara is currently focused on providing lithium-ion batteries and packs for the power tool and outdoor power equipment industries. These markets have an immediate need for higher power-to-weight energy storage solutions, and have short cycle developments that allow for near-term revenue opportunities. We are also engaged with customers in the electric two-wheel and hybrid vehicle markets.
Q: Do you have plans to move into other industries?
A: Our initial focus is on power tools and outdoor power equipment. However, as the demand for lithium-ion batteries and packs increases in other markets like automotive, grid modulation, and specialty applications, we will keep actively seeking new areas of opportunity. Imara also is developing larger-format cells for the cars of tomorrow, including solutions for high-power hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) batteries that are cost-effective and have exceptional cycle life.
Q: How big do you expect Imara to grow?
A: Imara will grow by providing higher power performance, longer runtime, and extended cycle life to our customers so that we grow when their products excel in the market. We further enable a new class of applications, so that customers can move beyond existing battery electric applications to “cut the cord“ or replace 2-stroke engines with our leading power-to-weight ratio technology.
Q: What makes Imara batteries unique?
A: Imara’s scientists have developed patented battery technology that expands the envelope of power and energy capability, enabling new markets. Specifically, our products have a technical advantage for mid- to high-range power/energy ratio applications.
Imara has developed an innovative materials-agnostic technology for controlling the morphology of the cathode material. This results in exceptional performance in high-power applications where long runtime is required, provided the battery can support high peak and continuous currents.
The low-impedance characteristics and efficient performance, coupled with relatively high energy density, enables cells to deliver the most work to drive applications. The result is more power at a given energy level or more energy at a given power level.
Q: How does your lithium-ion battery work?
A: Lithium-ion batteries are a type of rechargeable battery in which a lithium-ion moves between the anode and cathode during discharge, and from the cathode to the anode when charging. The electrodes are protected from short circuit by the use of a separator material that, when soaked with an electrolyte, allows the flow of lithium-ions but prevents physical contact between cathode and anode.
The four primary functional components of a lithium-ion battery are the anode, cathode, separator, and electrolyte, for which a variety of materials may be used. Imara technology has been demonstrated to provide a substantial lifecycle and high power advantage on a variety of lithium-ion cathode blends, allowing us to focus on materials with high theoretical energy density. By doing so, we provide high power without compromising runtime or cycle life. We are able to use standard electrolyte, anode, and separator materials to keep our costs down.
Our battery is compact, lightweight, and powerful, and offers consumers the option of having a cordless power source.
Q: Is there a safety concern associated with lithium-ion batteries?
A: Imara batteries and packs are designed and manufactured with safety as the primary concern. The materials selected are inherently safer than the materials subject to recalls in the laptop industry. Our cell is designed with a deep knowledge of our manufacturing variation to ensure that we design in appropriate safety margins. Imara’s manufacturing process includes environmentally controlled rooms. All of our packs use circuit protection and other safety measures to ensure robustness.
Q: Using batteries can reduce emissions, but doesn’t producing batteries create more pollution than it eliminates?
A: No. Imara batteries and packs are designed with the end-consumer and environment in mind. We believe in taking responsibility for the environment from the “cradle to the grave” of our batteries’ production and lifecycle. Although our batteries can be disposed of in landfills, we work with customers to establish recycling programs. We treat our facilities’ exhaust emissions to the highest standards.
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