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Kilowatts to BHP

Kilowatts and brake horsepower both measure power, so the swap comes down to one division by about 0.74569987158227. Type a value in kilowatts, press Convert, and the matching mechanical BHP figure appears as the result.

About the kW to BHP conversion

The kilowatt is the metric unit of power, a step of 1000 watts. Brake horsepower comes from the older mechanical horsepower family and is still a common way to quote what an engine or a motor delivers.

The two units are tied together by one fixed number: one mechanical brake horsepower is 550 foot-pounds of work a second, exactly 745.69987158227022 watts, which is 0.74569987158227022 kilowatts. That link never shifts, so any kilowatt rating can be restated in BHP and back again.

Kilowatts to BHP formula

Because one mechanical brake horsepower is 0.74569987158227022 kilowatts, the power in brake horsepower is the power in kilowatts divided by that number: P(hp) = P(kW) / 0.74569987158227022.

Worked for 100 kilowatts: 100 / 0.74569987158227022 gives about 134.102 hp. Going the other way, multiply a BHP figure by 0.74569987158227022 to return to kilowatts.

Using the calculator

Type the power in kilowatts into the input box and press Convert. The answer arrives in brake horsepower, ready to compare with the chart below.

Copy puts that answer and its unit on your clipboard, and Clear empties the field so another rating can be tested straight away.