Enerpulse

About Enerpulse

Enerpulse Technologies, Inc., operating under the brand name Pulstar, is a publicly traded company that designs, develops, and manufactures advanced ignition products for internal combustion engines. Founded in 1996 by Lou Camilli, the company is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Camilli, an entrepreneur with a diverse background including a mathematics degree, a career in professional baseball, and experience in finance, was inspired by pulse power technology during his time as a consultant for Sandia National Laboratories in 1986. He saw the potential to apply this technology, originally explored for projects like high-speed rail and defense, to improve automotive engine performance and efficiency.

The core of Enerpulse's business is its proprietary plasma spark plug technology, marketed as Pulstar plugs. These plugs are designed as a direct replacement for conventional spark plugs and do not require any engine modifications. Their distinct feature is an integrated capacitor that stores energy from the ignition coil and releases it in a powerful, nano-second pulse, creating an energy-dense plasma field. This process, called Nano-Plasma Assisted Combustion (n-PAC), generates a discharge with significantly more peak power—over 1 megawatt compared to the roughly 50 watts of a conventional spark plug—leading to a more rapid and complete combustion of the air-fuel mixture.

The company's business model revolves around selling these advanced spark plugs to a broad market. Clients include the automotive and powersports aftermarket, the natural gas stationary engine service market, and automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The primary benefit for customers is enhanced engine performance, including improved fuel economy (with EPA-certified tests showing 5-7% better MPG), increased horsepower and torque, and reduced emissions, particularly NOx and unburned hydrocarbons. Enerpulse has sold over one million units and established manufacturing agreements, such as one with Honeywell's Autolite business, to support high-volume production. The company offers different versions of its plugs, including basic, platinum (for fuel economy), and iridium (for performance), to cater to various customer needs.