Power - an indicator of the efficiency of the mechanism, the ratio of the amount of work to the unit of time for which it is completed. If you measure the power, it will become clear the quantity and speed of the work performed. In turn, mechanical work characterizes the action in which, under the influence of a certain force, the body moves a predetermined distance.
Power is also called the speed with which energy is transmitted.
Power Units
Traditionally, power is measured in joules per second, otherwise in watts. This is a common unit, unique throughout the world. The technical characteristics of many mechanisms are specified in the documents in watts (kilowatts).
However, often, especially in relation to vehicles, power is determined in horsepower, the calculation of which is not the same in different countries. Therefore, knowing how much horsepower is in one kilowatt can be very useful.
Watt is the official world unit for determining power, approved in the International Measurement System (abbreviated as SI).
Horsepower is not a single world standard. Therefore, how much horsepower is in one kilowatt depends on the system of measures used in the country.
Most states have switched to a single metric system (using kilograms and meters for calculations), but in the USA and England, calculations can be made in feet and pounds (although now they are also being withdrawn from official circulation).
What is horsepower?
For horsepower in the metric system, it is customary to consider a value equal to 75 kg per meter per second - the weight that one horse can move one meter in one second.
In a traditional system of measures, where feet are used instead of meters and pounds are replaced by kilograms, this value will be different. Accordingly, there will be another figure that determines how much horsepower is in one kilowatt.
Due to the difference in the indicator in different countries, horsepower as a unit of measurement is withdrawn from official circulation, and the technical characteristics of vehicle power are increasingly indicated in kilowatts. However, the value is familiar and understandable, therefore it is used not only in everyday life, but even when calculating the tax on vehicles.
How to convert kW to horsepower?
To convert watts and kilowatts to horsepower, use the following formula:
1 horsepower (HP) = 0.73549875 kW (735.49875 W).
1 horsepower in England and the USA = 0.7456999 kW (745.6999 W). Regarding how many kilowatts one horsepower will be relative to the same unit of measure in the metric system, the answer is: approximately 1.014.
In different countries, the letter designation for horsepower may vary:
- France - CV.
- England - HP.
- Germany - PS.
- Netherlands - PK.