Power HP / kW Converter guide
Use this converter when a power rating is quoted in watts, kilowatts, megawatts, or mechanical horsepower and you need the same rate of energy transfer in another supported unit. Typical uses include comparing vehicle engine ratings, motor nameplates, generators, pumps, and equipment specifications.
FigureNest treats hp as mechanical (imperial) horsepower: 1 hp = 745.6998715822702 W. That distinction matters because metric horsepower (PS/CV) is a different unit and is not an option in this converter.
How the calculation works.
kW = mechanical hp × 0.7456998715822702; mechanical hp = kW ÷ 0.7456998715822702- hp = mechanical (imperial) horsepower
- kW = kilowatts
- 1 kW = 1,000 W
- 1 MW = 1,000 kW = 1,000,000 W
Follow the numbers in context.
Convert a 200 hp engine rating to kW
200 mechanical hp × 0.7456998715822702 = 149.139974 kW, so the equivalent is about 149.14 kW. Rounding that to 149 kW is normally enough for comparison, but retain the source rating when completing technical or registration documents.
Convert a 110 kW motor rating to hp
110 kW ÷ 0.7456998715822702 = about 147.51 mechanical hp. This is a unit conversion only; it does not calculate the motor’s electrical input, current draw, efficiency, or shaft load.
Use the number for the question this tool answers.
The result is the same power expressed in another unit. For example, 200 mechanical hp and about 149.14 kW describe the same power magnitude under the mechanical-horsepower definition; one is not more powerful because its numeric value is larger.
Use the converted value to compare specifications only when the underlying ratings were measured on a comparable basis. Unit equivalence does not resolve differences such as engine versus wheel output or peak versus continuous power.
More detail: inputs, assumptions, mistakes and edge cases
Build a dependable estimate.
- Choose the unit printed on the source specification, enter its power value, then choose the unit you need. For a vehicle listed as 150 kW, for example, select kW as the source rather than assuming the number is horsepower.
- Check what “horsepower” means in the source document before converting. This tool uses mechanical hp; a value labelled PS, CV, ch, or metric horsepower should not be entered as though it were mechanical hp when precision matters.
- Keep power and energy separate. A 100 kW motor is a power rating; running at 100 kW for one hour corresponds to 100 kWh of energy, but kW and kWh are not interchangeable units.
Keep measurements compatible.
W, kW, and MW are SI power units related by powers of 1,000. The horsepower option is mechanical horsepower, approximately 745.699872 W per hp. Metric horsepower (PS/CV) is approximately 735.5 W and therefore gives a different number.
Know what the result includes.
Assumptions
- The entered number is already a power rating and the selected source unit correctly describes it.
- Horsepower means mechanical (imperial) horsepower. The conversion does not infer metric horsepower, electrical horsepower, boiler horsepower, or another horsepower definition.
- Conversion changes only the unit representation; it does not change the underlying power rating.
Limitations
- The converter does not calculate torque, RPM, drivetrain losses, motor efficiency, electrical input power, voltage, current, battery capacity, fuel use, or vehicle performance.
- A manufacturer may quote engine/crank power, wheel power, rated motor output, peak output, or another test-condition result. Converting the unit cannot make unlike measurement bases directly comparable.
Avoid preventable errors.
- Do not treat PS or CV as identical to mechanical hp. The values are close, but the definitions differ by roughly 1.4%.
- Do not convert kW to kWh as though they were two power units. kWh measures energy and requires a time interval.
- Do not use a motor’s shaft-output kW as its electrical input without accounting for efficiency and the manufacturer’s rating convention.
- Do not infer acceleration, towing ability, electricity use, or fuel consumption from converted power alone; those outcomes depend on additional variables.
Check unusual inputs carefully.
A zero power input converts to zero in every supported unit.
Very small or very large values remain valid unit conversions, but displayed rounding can hide insignificant digits.
Negative power can have a technical meaning in some signed power-flow systems, but equipment nameplate and engine ratings are normally stated as non-negative magnitudes.
If a source says only “HP” without defining the standard, verify the documentation before using the result for compliance, engineering, or official paperwork.
Questions about this calculation.
How many kW is 1 hp?
FigureNest uses mechanical horsepower, where 1 hp equals about 0.745699872 kW.
How do I convert kW to horsepower?
For mechanical horsepower, divide kW by 0.7456998715822702. For example, 100 kW is about 134.10 mechanical hp.
Is PS the same as hp?
No. PS/CV is metric horsepower, about 735.5 W, while the hp option here is mechanical horsepower at about 745.7 W. This converter does not currently provide a PS/CV unit.
Is kW the same as kWh?
No. kW is power, a rate of energy transfer. kWh is energy: power multiplied by time.
Can I use this for an electric motor?
Yes for converting a stated power rating between the supported units. It does not calculate motor input power, current, voltage, power factor, or efficiency.
Why can a converted vehicle rating differ from another website or brochure?
The source may use metric horsepower rather than mechanical hp, different rounding, or a different measurement basis such as crank versus wheel power.