Horsepower definitions
Different contexts may use mechanical horsepower, metric horsepower or boiler horsepower. This tool uses mechanical horsepower because it is common in US automotive and equipment specifications.
Example
1,000 watts equals about 1.34 mechanical horsepower because 1 hp is 745.699872 watts. A 100 kW motor is about 134.1 mechanical hp before drivetrain or efficiency losses.
Common mistakes
Check which horsepower definition a source uses. Mechanical horsepower and metric horsepower are close, but not identical, and engine output may be measured differently from wheel output.
Limitations
This is a power unit converter. It does not estimate vehicle acceleration, torque, drivetrain loss, battery limits or real engine performance.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-17