How do I convert kW to horsepower?

Formula : hp = kW × 1.341 Examples : 10 kW = 13.4 hp 75 kW = 100.6 hp (100 hp) 100 kW = 134.1 hp 250 kW = 335.3 hp kW to HP converter →

What is the difference between kW and kWh?

kW (kilowatt) = Power (rate of energy use right now) kWh (kilowatt-hour) = Energy (total amount used over time) Analogy : kW = speedometer (speed right now) kWh = odometer (total distance traveled) Example : 2 kW heater × 3 hours = 6 kWh energy consumed

How much does 1 kW cost per hour?

Cost = kW × hours × electricity rate Examples (at $0.15/kWh average US rate): 1 kW for 1 hour = 1 kWh = $0.15 2 kW heater for 8 hours = 16 kWh = $2.40 100W light (0.1 kW) for 10 hours = 1 kWh = $0.15 Rates vary : $0.09-0.40/kWh depending on location and time of day.

How many kW is a typical home solar system?

Residential solar systems : Small (2-4 people) : 3-5 kW (10-15 panels) Average home : 5-8 kW (15-24 panels) Large home : 8-12 kW (24-36 panels) Very large : 12-15+ kW (36-45+ panels) Production : ~4-5 kWh per kW installed per day (varies by location, season). Example : 6 kW system produces ~24-30 kWh/day, ~730-900 kWh/month.

Kilowatt (kW) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:kW

Plural:kilowatts

Category:Power

🔄 Quick Convert Kilowatt

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What is a Kilowatt?

Kilowatt (kW) equals 1,000 watts. Standard power unit for appliances, engines, electrical systems. 1 kW = 1.34 horsepower. Your electricity bill measures energy in kWh (kilowatt-hours). Common for EV charging, solar, HVAC.

History of the Kilowatt

SI prefix kilo applied to watt. Standard engineering unit since electrification in late 1800s. Base unit for electricity pricing (kWh = energy consumed over time).

Quick Answer

What is a Kilowatt? A kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 watts. Measures electrical power for large appliances and systems. Microwave: 1-1.2 kW. Electric car charger: 7-22 kW. 1 kW = 1.34 horsepower. Running 1 kW for 1 hour uses 1 kWh of energy. Use our power converter for conversions.

Definition

1 kW = 1,000 W = 1.341 hp = 3,412 BTU/h = 1,000 J/s

Common Uses

Appliances: Heaters (1-2 kW), microwaves (0.8-1.2 kW), electric ovens (2-5 kW). EVs: Charging power (3.7-22 kW home, 50-350 kW fast charging). Solar: Residential systems (5-10 kW capacity). HVAC: Air conditioner power (2-7 kW for homes).

Real-World Examples

Household Appliances

Microwave: 0.8-1.2 kW
Toaster: 0.8-1.5 kW
Electric kettle: 1.5-3 kW
Hair dryer: 1-2 kW
Space heater: 1-2 kW
Electric oven: 2-5 kW
Air conditioner: 2-7 kW
Electric water heater: 3-5.5 kW

Electric Vehicle Charging

Level 1 (120V): 1.4-1.9 kW (very slow)
Level 2 (240V) home: 3.7-11 kW (typical home charging)
Level 2 public: 7-22 kW (faster charging)
DC Fast Charging: 50-150 kW (30 min to 80%)
Tesla Supercharger: 150-250 kW (15-25 min to 80%)
Ultra-fast: 350 kW (emerging standard)

Solar Power Systems

Small residential: 3-5 kW (10-15 panels)
Average home: 5-8 kW (15-24 panels)
Large residential: 8-12 kW (24-36 panels)
Commercial small: 10-50 kW
Solar farm (per acre): ~150-200 kW

Engine Power

Small car engine: 40-80 kW (54-107 hp)
Midsize car: 100-150 kW (134-201 hp)
SUV/Truck: 150-250 kW (201-335 hp)
Tesla Model 3: 208-350 kW (279-469 hp)
Motorcycle: 15-150 kW (20-201 hp)

Kilowatt Conversion Formulas

To Watt:

1 kW = 1000 W

Example: 5 kilowatts = 5000 watts

To Milliwatt:

1 kW = 1000000 mW

Example: 5 kilowatts = 5000000 milliwatts

To Megawatt:

1 kW = 0.001 MW

Example: 5 kilowatts = 0.005 megawatts

To Gigawatt:

1 kW = 0.000001 GW

Example: 5 kilowatts = 0.000005 gigawatts

To Horsepower:

1 kW = 1.341022 hp

Example: 5 kilowatts = 6.70511 horsepower

To Metric Horsepower:

1 kW = 1.359622 PS

Example: 5 kilowatts = 6.798108 PS

To Electric Horsepower:

1 kW = 1.340483 hp(E)

Example: 5 kilowatts = 6.702413 hp(E)

To BTU per Hour:

1 kW = 3412.141633 BTU/h

Example: 5 kilowatts = 17060.708166 BTU/h

To BTU per Minute:

1 kW = 56.869027 BTU/min

Example: 5 kilowatts = 284.345136 BTU/min

To BTU per Second:

1 kW = 0.947817 BTU/s

Example: 5 kilowatts = 4.739086 BTU/s

To Foot-pound per Second:

1 kW = 737.562149 ft⋅lb/s

Example: 5 kilowatts = 3687.810746 ft⋅lb/s

To Foot-pound per Minute:

1 kW = 44253.728957 ft⋅lb/min

Example: 5 kilowatts = 221268.644783 ft⋅lb/min

To Calorie per Second:

1 kW = 239.005736 cal/s

Example: 5 kilowatts = 1195.028681 cal/s

To Kilocalorie per Hour:

1 kW = 860.42065 kcal/h

Example: 5 kilowatts = 4302.10325 kcal/h

To Ton of Refrigeration:

1 kW = 0.284345 TR

Example: 5 kilowatts = 1.421726 TR

To Erg per Second:

1 kW = 10000000000 erg/s

Example: 5 kilowatts = 50000000000 erg/s

To Joule per Second:

1 kW = 1000 J/s

Example: 5 kilowatts = 5000 J/s

Frequently Asked Questions

Formula: hp = kW × 1.341 Examples:

10 kW = 13.4 hp
75 kW = 100.6 hp (100 hp)
100 kW = 134.1 hp
250 kW = 335.3 hp kW to HP converter →

Convert Kilowatt

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