
The kilowatt (kW) is a unit of power in the International System of Units (SI) and is commonly used to express the output power of engines, electric motors, tools, machines, and heaters. Horsepower (hp), on the other hand, is a unit of measurement of power or the rate at which work is done. There are different types of horsepower, including mechanical horsepower and electric horsepower, with one electric horsepower being equivalent to 746 watts, and one mechanical horsepower being equivalent to 745.7 watts. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to convert kilowatts to electrical horsepower, utilizing conversion formulas and online tools.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Kilowatt (kW) definition | A unit of power in the International System of Units (SI) |
| Horsepower (hp) definition | A unit of measurement of power (the rate at which work is done) |
| Kilowatt (kW) base unit | Watt, named after Scottish inventor James Watt |
| Horsepower (hp) origin | Adopted by James Watt to measure the power output of his steam engine and compare it to that of horses |
| 1 Kilowatt (kW) | 1000 watts or 1000 joules per second |
| 1 Mechanical horsepower | 745.7 watts (550 ft·lbf/s) or 745.699872 watts |
| 1 Metric horsepower | 735.5 watts (75 kgf·m/s) or 0.73549875 kW |
| 1 Electrical horsepower | 746 watts or 1.3596216173 horsepower (metric) |
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What You'll Learn

Online conversion tools
There are several online conversion tools that can help you convert kilowatts to electrical horsepower. These tools can provide quick and accurate conversions between different units of measurement.
One such tool is the Horsepower to Kilowatt Conversion Calculator provided by RS. With this tool, you simply input the value you want to convert, choose whether you're converting from kilowatts to horsepower or vice versa, and then hit 'calculate'. The tool will then provide you with the converted value in seconds. This calculator can be used to convert both imperial/mechanical and metric horsepower measurements.
Another online conversion tool is Unit Converters, which allows you to convert between kilowatts and horsepower (metric). You can input the value you want to convert and then press the 『Convert』 button to get the result. This platform also provides definitions and historical contexts for the units you are converting.
Inch Calculator also offers a kilowatts to horsepower conversion tool, along with explanations of the different types of horsepower, such as electric, mechanical, metric, and boiler horsepower. They provide the formulas for each conversion and examples to help you understand the process.
Additionally, ConvertLive offers a tool to convert electrical horsepower to kilowatts. You simply enter the value you want to convert and press the 'Convert' button. It's important to note that online conversion tools may have varying levels of accuracy, so it's always a good practice to validate the results with an authoritative source.
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Conversion formula
The conversion between kilowatts and electrical horsepower depends on the type of horsepower being used. The two most common types of horsepower are mechanical horsepower and electrical horsepower.
Mechanical Horsepower
Mechanical horsepower, also known as imperial horsepower, is defined as approximately 745.7 watts or 745.699872 watts. This is a US customary and imperial unit of power and is often used to measure the output of engines and motors in North America. One mechanical horsepower is equal to 0.7456998715822702 horsepower, which means that to convert from kilowatts to mechanical horsepower, you can use the following formula:
\[ \text{Mechanical Horsepower} = \frac{\text{Kilowatts} \times 1000}{745.69987158227022} \]
Electrical Horsepower
Electrical horsepower, on the other hand, is used to measure the output of electric motors and other electrical machines in the US. One electrical horsepower is equal to exactly 746 watts. To convert from kilowatts to electrical horsepower, you can use the following formula:
\[ \text{Electrical Horsepower} = \frac{\text{Kilowatts} \times 1000}{746} \]
Conversion Tools
There are also instant free online tools available for converting between kilowatts and electrical horsepower, as well as conversion tables and steps that can be followed to perform the conversion manually.
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Kilowatt-hour (kWh) definition
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a unit of energy equal to one kilowatt of power (1000 watts) used for one hour. It is a measure of the amount of energy something uses over time.
Kilowatt-hours are used to measure energy usage and are commonly used by electrical energy providers for billing purposes. The kilowatt-hour is a useful unit of measurement because it allows for the calculation of the cost of running an electrical device by multiplying the device's power consumption in kilowatts by the operating time in hours and the price per kilowatt-hour.
The difference between a kilowatt (kW) and a kilowatt-hour (kWh) is that a kilowatt is a measure of power (the rate at which something uses energy), whereas a kilowatt-hour is a measure of energy (the capacity to do work). For example, a 1000-watt vacuum cleaner used for one hour will consume 1 kWh of energy.
Kilowatt-hours are used to calculate the monthly energy consumption of residential customers, which can range from a few hundred to a few thousand kilowatt-hours. Megawatt-hours (MWh), gigawatt-hours (GWh), and terawatt-hours (TWh) are used for metering larger amounts of electrical energy for industrial customers and in power generation.
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Electric horsepower
The term horsepower was first adopted in the late 18th century by James Watt, a Scottish inventor, to compare the output of his steam engine with the power of horses. The unit was later expanded to include other types of output power, such as piston and turbine engines, and electrical motors.
Mechanical horsepower, also known as imperial horsepower, is defined as approximately 745.7 watts (550 ft·lbf/s). This is a slightly lower value than electric horsepower and is often used to measure the output of engines and motors in North America.
Kilowatts are used worldwide to express the output power of engines, electric motors, tools, machines, and heaters. One kilowatt is equal to one thousand watts or one thousand joules per second.
There are several online tools available to convert kilowatts to electric horsepower, or vice versa.
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Mechanical horsepower
In the present day, horsepower is used to denote the relative strength of an internal combustion engine or electric motor. It is a measurement of power or the rate at which work is done. The definition of the unit varies among geographical regions. For example, in the UK, "brake horsepower", abbreviated to "bhp", is used. This is the mechanical measurement, or imperial measurement. A car with 100 hp would have 98.64 bhp, rounded up to 99 bhp.
In the US, they use the term "hp" and talk about horsepower frequently. However, American horsepower equates to mechanical/imperial horsepower. So, for example, they would state that a Volkswagen TSI engine has 148 hp.
British manufacturers often intermix metric horsepower and mechanical horsepower depending on the origin of the engine in question. Metric horsepower, or "PS", is the power to raise a mass of 75 kilograms against the Earth's gravitational force over a distance of one metre in one second: 75 kg × 9.80665 m/s2 × 1 m / 1 s = 75 kgf⋅m/s = 1 PS. This is equivalent to 735.49875 W, or 98.6% of an imperial horsepower.
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Frequently asked questions
Kilowatts (kW) are a unit of power in the International System of Units (SI) and equal 1000 watts or one thousand joules per second. Electrical horsepower (hp(E)) is a US customary and imperial unit of power and is equal to 746 watts.
To convert kilowatts to electrical horsepower, use the formula: 1 kW = 1.36 hp(E). For example, to convert 10 kW, multiply by 1.36 to get 13.6 hp(E).
To convert electrical horsepower to kilowatts, use the formula: 1 hp(E) = 0.746 kW. For example, to convert 15 hp(E), multiply by 0.746 to get 11.19 kW.
Yes, there are two other common types of horsepower: mechanical horsepower (hp(I)) and metric horsepower. Mechanical horsepower is used to measure the output of engines and motors, mainly in North America, and is equal to 745.7 watts. Metric horsepower is equal to approximately 735.5 watts.
















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