💡 Power Converter
Convert between Watts, Kilowatts, Megawatts, Horsepower, BTU/hour, and more instantly.
Quick Reference
How to Convert Power Units
Power is the rate at which energy is transferred or converted. This converter works by converting every input to the base unit (Watts), then to the target unit. Power measurement matters for engines, electrical appliances, and industrial equipment.
Common Conversion Factors
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| Horsepower (mech) | Watts | 745.7 |
| Horsepower (metric) | Watts | 735.499 |
| Kilowatt | Watts | 1,000 |
| Megawatt | Watts | 1,000,000 |
| BTU/hour | Watts | 0.29307 |
| Horsepower | Kilowatts | 0.7457 |
| Kilowatt | Horsepower | 1.341 |
Power in Everyday Life
Home appliances: A microwave oven uses about 1,000 W (1 kW), an LED bulb uses 10 W, and a hair dryer uses 1,500–2,000 W. Vehicles: A typical sedan has 150–200 hp, a sports car 300–500 hp, and a Formula 1 engine about 1,000 hp (746 kW). Electric vehicles rate motor power in kW — a Tesla Model 3 has about 211 kW (283 hp).
Power Quick Reference
| HP (mech) | kW | Watts | BTU/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.746 | 745.7 | 2,544 |
| 5 | 3.729 | 3,728.5 | 12,722 |
| 10 | 7.457 | 7,457 | 25,444 |
| 100 | 74.57 | 74,570 | 254,443 |
| 500 | 372.85 | 372,850 | 1,272,214 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Horsepower (hp) is a unit of power originally defined by James Watt to compare steam engine output to draft horses. One mechanical horsepower equals 745.7 watts. It is commonly used to rate car engines, electric motors, and industrial machinery.
Mechanical (imperial) horsepower equals 745.7 watts and is used in the US and UK. Metric horsepower (PS or CV) equals 735.499 watts and is used in most other countries. The difference is about 1.4%, so they are often used interchangeably in casual contexts.
One mechanical horsepower equals exactly 745.7 watts or 0.7457 kilowatts. For a quick estimate, multiply HP by 746 to get watts, or by 0.746 to get kilowatts. A 200 HP engine produces about 149.2 kW.
A kilowatt (kW) is 1,000 watts and measures the rate of energy use or generation. A 1 kW appliance uses 1 kWh of energy per hour. Electric vehicles and solar panels are rated in kW to describe their power output capacity.