What is the difference between hp and PS?

Mechanical horsepower is 745.7 W; metric horsepower (PS or CV) is 735.5 W. European car specs often use PS, making the number about 1.4% higher.

Why are EVs rated in kW?

Electric motors are electrical devices, so kilowatts is the native unit. Manufacturers publish horsepower alongside it for markets used to combustion figures.

Is peak power the same as continuous power?

No. EV motors often deliver peak power for under a minute before thermal limits reduce output. Datasheets should state both.

kW to HP Converter | Kilowatts to Horsepower Calculator

Conversion Formula

hp = kW ÷ 0.7457

One mechanical horsepower equals 0.7457 kilowatts. Divide kilowatts by 0.7457 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 745.7 watts; the metric variant (PS) equals 735.5 watts.

How the Conversion Works

James Watt estimated that a working horse could lift 550 foot-pounds per second, which equals 745.7 watts. Converting therefore means multiplying or dividing by 0.7457 — or 0.7355 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 ÷ 0.7457

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 0.7457 kilowatts. Divide kilowatts by 0.7457 to get horsepower, the traditional unit for engine and motor output.

Common Conversions

Kilowatts to Horsepower conversion table
Kilowatts (kW)	Horsepower (hp)	Horsepower → Kilowatts
1	1.341	1 hp = 0.7457 kW
5	6.7051	5 hp = 3.7285 kW
10	13.4102	10 hp = 7.457 kW
50	67.0511	50 hp = 37.285 kW
75	100.5766	75 hp = 55.9275 kW
100	134.1022	100 hp = 74.57 kW
150	201.1533	150 hp = 111.855 kW
200	268.2044	200 hp = 149.14 kW
250	335.2555	250 hp = 186.425 kW
350	469.3577	350 hp = 260.995 kW
500	670.5109	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 ÷ 745.7; PS = W ÷ 735.5.

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.