Quick Answer: Kilowatts to Horsepower
One kilowatt equals 1.34102209 horsepower (1 kW = 1.34102209 hp).
Conversely, 1 hp = 0.745699872 kW.
Formula: hp = kW ÷ 0.745699872
Worked examples
- 1 kW = 1.34102209 hp
- 5 kW = 6.70511045 hp
- 10 kW = 13.4102209 hp
Method and limitations
One mechanical horsepower equals 0.745699872 kilowatts. Divide kilowatts by 0.745699872 to get horsepower, the traditional unit for engine and motor output. Calculations use full-precision constants; displayed values are rounded to at most 9 significant figures. Results are rounded for display only. Full precision is kept internally, so long chains of conversions do not accumulate rounding error. Where US customary and imperial units share a name (for example fluid ounces and gallons), this page uses the US customary definition and says so explicitly.
Each factor is exact by definition, derived from exact definitions, or a documented conventional value — see the methodology and sources.
Conversion Formula
One mechanical horsepower equals 0.745699872 kilowatts. Divide kilowatts by 0.745699872 to get horsepower, the traditional unit for engine and motor output.
Complete Guide to Kilowatts to Horsepower Conversion
What is a Kilowatts?
The kilowatt (kW) is 1,000 watts, the SI measure of power. It rates electric motors, EV drivetrains, heat pumps, chargers and every piece of electrical equipment.
What is a Horsepower?
Horsepower (hp) is a legacy unit devised to compare steam engines with draught horses. Mechanical horsepower equals 745.699872 watts; the metric variant (PS) equals 735.49875 watts exactly.
How the Conversion Works
James Watt estimated that a working horse could lift 550 foot-pounds per second, which equals 745.699872 watts. Converting therefore means multiplying or dividing by 0.745699872 — or 0.73549875 if the source uses metric PS rather than mechanical horsepower.
Why This Conversion Matters
The transition to electric drivetrains has forced two power vocabularies into the same conversation. Buyers compare a 150 hp petrol car against a 110 kW electric one without realising they are the same figure. This conversion makes those comparisons honest.
Scientific Context
Power output alone does not describe drivability. Electric motors deliver peak torque from zero rpm, so an EV with the same kilowatt rating as a combustion engine will typically accelerate faster at low speed despite identical nameplate power.
Step-by-Step Conversion Guide
Follow these steps to convert kilowatts to horsepower manually:
Start with your value in kilowatts
Example: You want to convert 10 kW
Apply the conversion formula
Use the formula: hp = kW ÷ 0.745699872
Calculate the result
10 kW = 13.4102 hp
Verify your answer
Use our calculator above to double-check your manual calculation.
Quick Mental Math Tip
One mechanical horsepower equals 0.745699872 kilowatts. Divide kilowatts by 0.745699872 to get horsepower, the traditional unit for engine and motor output.
Common Conversions
| Kilowatts (kW) | Horsepower (hp) | Horsepower → Kilowatts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | 1.34102 | 1 hp = 0.7457 kW |
| 5 kW | 6.70511 | 5 hp = 3.7285 kW |
| 10 kW | 13.4102 | 10 hp = 7.457 kW |
| 50 kW | 67.0511 | 50 hp = 37.285 kW |
| 75 kW | 100.577 | 75 hp = 55.9275 kW |
| 100 kW | 134.102 | 100 hp = 74.57 kW |
| 150 kW | 201.153 | 150 hp = 111.855 kW |
| 200 kW | 268.204 | 200 hp = 149.14 kW |
| 250 kW | 335.256 | 250 hp = 186.425 kW |
| 350 kW | 469.358 | 350 hp = 260.995 kW |
| 500 kW | 670.511 | 500 hp = 372.85 kW |
When You'll Need This Conversion
Comparing EVs and combustion cars
Translate kW motor ratings into the horsepower figures most buyers know.
Industrial motor specification
US motor catalogues list horsepower; European ones list kilowatts.
Pumps and machinery sizing
Match a replacement motor across measurement systems.
Physics of power
Understand how a historical unit maps onto the SI watt.
Pro Tips for Accurate Conversions
kW × 1.34 = hp
A fast mental shortcut accurate to within a fraction of a percent.
Check whether the spec is hp or PS
German and French listings usually mean PS, which reads about 1.4% higher.
Compare continuous, not peak
For workloads like towing, sustained power matters more than headline figures.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating hp and PS as identical
They differ by 1.4%, which shows up in marketing comparisons.
hp = W ÷ 745.699872; PS = W ÷ 735.49875.
Confusing motor power with battery capacity
A 150 kW motor and a 77 kWh battery describe completely different things.
kW is the rate of work; kWh is the stored energy.
Assuming higher kW means higher consumption
Energy use depends on how the power is used, not the peak rating.
Compare kWh per 100 km for real efficiency.
History & Background
James Watt created horsepower in the 1780s as a marketing device to sell steam engines to mine owners who thought in horses. The unit named after him eventually replaced it.
Key Milestones
Watt defines horsepower as 33,000 foot-pounds per minute.
The watt is adopted as the international unit of power.
Europe standardises vehicle power ratings in kilowatts for registration.
EV launches bring kilowatt drivetrain ratings to mainstream car buyers.
Global Usage Today
Kilowatts are the legal unit for vehicle power across the EU; horsepower dominates US marketing, and PS is standard in German-language markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Conversion factors on this page are either exact by definition, derived from exact definitions, or conventional values in documented use. Each is listed with its source in our conversion methodology and sources, which cites the BIPM SI Brochure, NIST Special Publication 811 and the relevant IEC or national standards. Results are rounded for display only; calculations use full precision.