The kilowatt, a unit of power equal to 1,000 watts, is widely used to measure electricity consumption and production. Beyond its role in tracking household energy use, the kilowatt also plays a critical part in the automotive industry, especially with the rise of electric vehicles (EVs). Interestingly, while car enthusiasts often discuss horsepower, the power of EVs is typically rated in kilowatts. For instance, 1 kilowatt roughly equals 1.34 horsepower.
Moreover, the record for the highest wind turbine currently stands at generating a jaw-dropping 14 megawatts—14,000 kilowatts—sufficient to power thousands of homes annually. As sustainable energy solutions become prominent, the kilowatt serves as a crucial unit for understanding and advancing our energy-efficient future.
Horsepower is a unit of power that originated in the 18th century, coined by engineer James Watt to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses. A fascinating aspect is the value assigned to this measurement: 1 British horsepower equals approximately 745.7 watts. To put this into perspective, this means that just one horsepower can light up more than ten 60-watt light bulbs!
Interestingly, the unit became widely adopted not for its precision but as a marketing tool. Since people were familiar with the strength of horses in everyday tasks, comparing engine power to horses made industrial power even more relatable and understandable during the Industrial Revolution. Today, horsepower continues to be an essential metric in the automotive and engine industries worldwide, despite its equine origins.
| Kilowatts | Horsepower (British) |
|---|---|
0
kW
|
0
hp
|
1
kW
|
1.34102
hp
|
2
kW
|
2.68204
hp
|
3
kW
|
4.02307
hp
|
4
kW
|
5.36409
hp
|
5
kW
|
6.70511
hp
|
6
kW
|
8.04613
hp
|
7
kW
|
9.38715
hp
|
8
kW
|
10.72818
hp
|
9
kW
|
12.0692
hp
|
10
kW
|
13.41022
hp
|
11
kW
|
14.75124
hp
|
12
kW
|
16.09227
hp
|
13
kW
|
17.43329
hp
|
14
kW
|
18.77431
hp
|
15
kW
|
20.11533
hp
|
16
kW
|
21.45635
hp
|
17
kW
|
22.79738
hp
|
18
kW
|
24.1384
hp
|
19
kW
|
25.47942
hp
|
20
kW
|
26.82044
hp
|
21
kW
|
28.16146
hp
|
22
kW
|
29.50249
hp
|
23
kW
|
30.84351
hp
|
24
kW
|
32.18453
hp
|
25
kW
|
33.52555
hp
|
26
kW
|
34.86657
hp
|
27
kW
|
36.2076
hp
|
28
kW
|
37.54862
hp
|
29
kW
|
38.88964
hp
|
30
kW
|
40.23066
hp
|
31
kW
|
41.57168
hp
|
32
kW
|
42.91271
hp
|
33
kW
|
44.25373
hp
|
34
kW
|
45.59475
hp
|
35
kW
|
46.93577
hp
|
36
kW
|
48.2768
hp
|
37
kW
|
49.61782
hp
|
38
kW
|
50.95884
hp
|
39
kW
|
52.29986
hp
|
40
kW
|
53.64088
hp
|
41
kW
|
54.98191
hp
|
42
kW
|
56.32293
hp
|
43
kW
|
57.66395
hp
|
44
kW
|
59.00497
hp
|
45
kW
|
60.34599
hp
|
46
kW
|
61.68702
hp
|
47
kW
|
63.02804
hp
|
48
kW
|
64.36906
hp
|
49
kW
|
65.71008
hp
|
50
kW
|
67.0511
hp
|
51
kW
|
68.39213
hp
|
52
kW
|
69.73315
hp
|
53
kW
|
71.07417
hp
|
54
kW
|
72.41519
hp
|
55
kW
|
73.75621
hp
|
56
kW
|
75.09724
hp
|
57
kW
|
76.43826
hp
|
58
kW
|
77.77928
hp
|
59
kW
|
79.1203
hp
|
60
kW
|
80.46133
hp
|
61
kW
|
81.80235
hp
|
62
kW
|
83.14337
hp
|
63
kW
|
84.48439
hp
|
64
kW
|
85.82541
hp
|
65
kW
|
87.16644
hp
|
66
kW
|
88.50746
hp
|
67
kW
|
89.84848
hp
|
68
kW
|
91.1895
hp
|
69
kW
|
92.53052
hp
|
70
kW
|
93.87155
hp
|
71
kW
|
95.21257
hp
|
72
kW
|
96.55359
hp
|
73
kW
|
97.89461
hp
|
74
kW
|
99.23563
hp
|
75
kW
|
100.57666
hp
|
76
kW
|
101.91768
hp
|
77
kW
|
103.2587
hp
|
78
kW
|
104.59972
hp
|
79
kW
|
105.94075
hp
|
80
kW
|
107.28177
hp
|
81
kW
|
108.62279
hp
|
82
kW
|
109.96381
hp
|
83
kW
|
111.30483
hp
|
84
kW
|
112.64586
hp
|
85
kW
|
113.98688
hp
|
86
kW
|
115.3279
hp
|
87
kW
|
116.66892
hp
|
88
kW
|
118.00994
hp
|
89
kW
|
119.35097
hp
|
90
kW
|
120.69199
hp
|
91
kW
|
122.03301
hp
|
92
kW
|
123.37403
hp
|
93
kW
|
124.71505
hp
|
94
kW
|
126.05608
hp
|
95
kW
|
127.3971
hp
|
96
kW
|
128.73812
hp
|
97
kW
|
130.07914
hp
|
98
kW
|
131.42016
hp
|
99
kW
|
132.76119
hp
|
100
kW
|
134.10221
hp
|
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