Power Converter: Watts, kW, Horsepower
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1 kW = 1.341022 hpAll Results
Quick Reference Table: Kilowatt → Horsepower (mechanical)
| Value (kW) | Result (hp) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 kW | 0.134102 hp |
| 0.5 kW | 0.670511 hp |
| 1 kW | 1.341 hp |
| 2 kW | 2.682 hp |
| 5 kW | 6.7051 hp |
| 10 kW | 13.4102 hp |
| 50 kW | 67.0511 hp |
| 100 kW | 134.1022 hp |
| 1,000 kW | 1, |
About Power Conversions
Power is how fast energy is transferred or work is done. The watt (W) is the SI unit of power, equal to one joule per second. Household appliances and car engines are usually rated in kilowatts (kW). Mechanical horsepower (hp), used mainly in the United States, equals 745.7 watts. Metric horsepower (PS), used in Europe for car engines, equals 735.5 watts. Heating and cooling systems are rated in BTU per hour. One ton of air conditioning equals 12,000 BTU/h.
Everyday Power
What things draw or produce. One mechanical horsepower is 745.7 W; metric horsepower (PS) is 735.5 W.
| Device | W | kW | hp |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED bulb | 9 | 0.009 | 0.01207 |
| Laptop | 65 | 0.065 | 0.08717 |
| Cyclist (sustained) | 200 | 0.2 | 0.2682 |
| Microwave oven | 900 | 0.9 | 1.207 |
| Electric kettle | 2,000 | 2 | 2.682 |
| Home EV charger | 7,400 | 7.4 | 9.924 |
| Small car engine | 66,000 | 66 | 88.51 |
| Family car engine | 110,000 | 110 | 147.5 |
| Formula 1 car | 750,000 | 750 | 1,006 |
| Electric locomotive | 4,000,000 | 4,000 | 5,364 |
| Nuclear reactor | 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,341,000 |
History of the watt and the horsepower
Power is work done per unit of time. James Watt compared his steam engines with the horses that turned mill wheels and set one horsepower at 33,000 foot-pounds per minute, about 745.7 W. Europe's metric horsepower (PS, CV, ch) is a little smaller: 75 kilogram-force meters per second, or about 735.5 W.
- The new International System of Units (SI) made the watt, one joule per second, its unit of power.
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