Convert Kilowatts to Horsepower
Kilowatts to horsepower is the classic car-engine conversion — turning an electric-car or European kilowatt rating into the mechanical horsepower (hp) US and UK drivers know. One kilowatt is approximately 1.3410220895950278 horsepower, so the horsepower number always comes out larger.
Kilowatts to Horsepower (mechanical) conversion table
| Kilowatts (kW) | Horsepower (mechanical) (hp) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1.341022 |
| 2 | 2.682044 |
| 3 | 4.023066 |
| 5 | 6.70511 |
| 10 | 13.410221 |
| 20 | 26.820442 |
| 50 | 67.051104 |
| 100 | 134.102209 |
| 500 | 670.511045 |
| 1,000 | 1,341.02209 |
The formula
To convert kilowatts to mechanical horsepower, multiply the number of kilowatts by 1.341022 (approximately):
horsepower = kilowatts × 1.341022
A worked example
Say an electric car is rated at 100 kW and you want its output in horsepower:
100 × 1.341022 = 134.10221 hp
So a 100-kilowatt motor is about 134 mechanical horsepower.
Why it's an approximation
The factor 1.341022 is a rounded value. One mechanical horsepower is defined as about 745.7 watts, and a kilowatt is 1000 watts, so a kilowatt works out to roughly 1.3410220895950278 horsepower. Because the underlying watt and horsepower figures don't divide evenly, the factor is rounded and the result stays approximate.
A note on two horsepowers
There are two different "horsepower" units in common use, and they're about 1.4% apart. This page uses mechanical horsepower (hp), the imperial unit US and UK car specs quote, worth about 745.7 watts. The other is metric horsepower (PS), about 735.5 watts, which is what many European spec sheets mean. If a rating comes from Europe, check which one it's quoting before you compare numbers.
When you'll use it
Converting an electric car's kilowatt rating into horsepower, comparing a European engine spec against US figures, and sizing motors quoted in kilowatts against horsepower-rated equipment.
Frequently asked questions
How many horsepower are in a kilowatt?
About 1.341022 mechanical horsepower (hp). It's a rounded figure — the exact value runs on past many decimal places, so 1.341022 is the practical number to use.
Is this the same horsepower as metric horsepower (PS)?
No. This page uses mechanical horsepower (hp), the imperial unit US and UK car specs quote, worth about 745.7 watts. European sheets often quote metric horsepower (PS) instead, which is about 1.4% smaller — so check which one a spec means before comparing.
Is the kilowatts to horsepower conversion exact?
No. A mechanical horsepower and a watt don't divide evenly, so the factor 1.341022 is rounded for everyday use. More decimal places give you more precision if you need it.