Power Converter

Power ratings appear everywhere from car brochures to appliance labels, but the unit changes depending on the industry. Car and motor specifications in the US are often listed in horsepower, European vehicles and most electric motors use kilowatts, and household electronics are rated in watts. Comparing a car's horsepower to an electric motor's kilowatt rating, or an appliance's wattage to a generator's output, requires a reliable power converter.

Our power converter handles the three units used most often — watts, horsepower (hp), and kilowatts (kW) — using precise, standardized conversion factors based on mechanical horsepower. Enter a value in any unit and instantly see the equivalent in the other two.

Whether you're comparing a gas engine's horsepower to an EV's kW rating, sizing a generator for your household appliances, or converting a motor's power output for an engineering project, this tool gives you accurate results in seconds without manual math.

Power conversion matters most when comparing equipment specified in different systems. Automotive shoppers comparing a gas-powered car's horsepower rating to an electric vehicle's kilowatt motor rating need an accurate conversion to make a fair comparison — a 200 kW electric motor is not intuitively comparable to a 268-horsepower gas engine unless converted to the same unit. Similarly, industrial and residential generator sizing depends on knowing the combined wattage of appliances you intend to run, often requiring conversion from a generator's kW or hp rating to total household watts.

In electrical engineering, watts are the SI unit of power and appear on every appliance label, from a 1,500-watt space heater to a 100-watt light bulb, while industrial motors and HVAC compressors are frequently rated in horsepower. Converting between horsepower and watts or kilowatts is a routine task for electricians, mechanics, and engineers sizing electrical circuits, motors, and backup power systems.