About the bhp to kW Converter
Car and motorcycle engines in the UK and India are often quoted in brake horsepower, while the rest of the world uses kilowatts. This converter turns bhp into kW using the mechanical horsepower, where one horsepower is 745.69987158 watts, so one bhp is about 0.7457 kW. Type the figure and read the kilowatts at once. The rows underneath give watts, metric horsepower (PS, the figure many European brochures use), BTU per hour and tons of refrigeration. Use it to compare an advert in bhp with a spec sheet in kW, or to size a motor or generator. It runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere.
Updated October 2026
How to use the bhp to kW Converter
- 1Type the power in brake horsepower.
- 2Read the kilowatts at the top.
- 3Look at watts, PS, BTU/h and TR in the rows below.
- 4Press Copy to copy the sentence, for example 150 hp = 111.8549807 kW.
- 5Change the number to compare another engine.
The formula
kW = bhp × 0.74569987. The factor is the mechanical horsepower of 745.69987158 W divided by 1,000.
To convert the other way, divide kW by 0.7457 or use the Horsepower Calculator.
Examples
- 100 bhp = 74.57 kW
- 150 bhp = 111.85 kW
- 200 bhp = 149.14 kW
- 300 bhp = 223.71 kW
- 1 bhp = 1.0139 PS
Reading power figures on adverts
Specifications mix bhp, PS, hp, kW and sometimes SAE net or DIN figures, each measured a little differently. A car described as 150 PS has about 110.3 kW, which is 147.9 bhp. A figure at the wheels is lower than one at the crankshaft because of drivetrain losses, typically 10 to 20 percent.
When comparing, convert everything to kW first, check that the figures are measured the same way, and remember that torque and the rev range matter as much as the peak number.
Worked example: comparing two cars
One brochure says 138 bhp and another says 100 kW. Converting, 138 bhp is 102.9 kW, so the first car is a little more powerful, by about 3 percent. A third brochure says 140 PS, which is 103 kW, so all three are close.
Remember that peak power is reached at a particular engine speed. A car with less peak power but more torque lower down can feel stronger in everyday driving.
Phone and computer
The result updates as you type, below the box on a phone. For other engine figures, the Engine Horsepower Calculator and the Torque Converter sit next to this one, and Power Converter handles the rest.
Features
- Mechanical horsepower, 745.69987158 W
- Metric horsepower (PS) shown for comparison
- Watts, BTU per hour and tons of refrigeration too
- Ten significant digits
- Copy button
- Works in your browser
Frequently asked questions
How many kW is 1 bhp?
About 0.7457 kW. One mechanical horsepower is 745.7 watts.
How do I convert bhp to kW by hand?
Multiply by 0.7457. A 150 bhp engine is about 111.9 kW.
Is bhp the same as hp?
Almost. Brake horsepower is horsepower measured at the engine's output shaft with a brake, before losses in the gearbox and drive. It uses the same unit as the ordinary mechanical horsepower.
What is the difference between bhp and PS?
PS is the metric horsepower, 735.499 W. One bhp is about 1.0139 PS, so a figure in PS is a little smaller than the same power in bhp.
Why is horsepower still used?
It was set by James Watt to compare engines with horses, and it stuck in car and motor advertising.
Can I use this for electric motors?
Yes. Motor plates in the US often show hp, and the kW result is what you compare with the electrical input.
Is anything uploaded?
No.
How do I convert kW to bhp?
Divide the kilowatts by 0.7457, or multiply by 1.34102. For example 90 kW is about 120.7 bhp.