Kilowatts, PS, and hp — the key power units
Watts (W), kilowatts (kW), and megawatts (MW) are the SI units of power. There are also two different horsepower units that must not be confused: PS (metric horsepower, German Pferdestärke) equals exactly 735.49875 W, while hp (mechanical / imperial horsepower) equals exactly 745.6998715823 W (about 745.7 W). They differ by about 1.4 % — 1 hp ≈ 1.01387 PS. German and European vehicle specs are quoted in PS, whereas hp is used mainly in the US and UK.
Power conversions are exact and rest on fixed factors — for more unit pairs, use our power conversion hub.