CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 02, 2016
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 12,543	$ 9,115
Cost of sales	(9,790)	(4,999)
Gross profit	2,753	4,116
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(3,731)	(2,760)
Research and development expenses	(1,441)	(860)
Acquisition costs	0	(316)
Operating (loss) income	(2,419)	180
Interest expense	(138)	(22)
Interest and other income	18	8
Foreign currency loss	(442)	(71)
(Loss) income before income tax	(2,981)	95
Income tax benefit (provision)	489	(11)
Net (loss) income	(2,492)	84
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests	65	38
Net (loss) income attributable to Sevcon, Inc. and subsidiaries	(2,427)	122
Preference share dividends	(91)	(111)
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders	$ (2,518)	$ 11
Net (loss) income per ordinary share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.48)	$ 0
Net (loss) income per ordinary share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.48)	$ 0
Weighted average shares used in computation of earnings per share:
Basic (in shares)	5,214	3,429
Diluted (in shares)	5,214	3,576