Horsepower (Metric) to Megawatt
hp
MW
Conversion History
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Quick Reference Table (Horsepower (Metric) to Megawatt)
| Horsepower (Metric) (hp) | Megawatt (MW) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.000367749375 |
| 1 | 0.00073549875 |
| 10 | 0.0073549875 |
| 100 | 0.073549875 |
| 200 | 0.14709975 |
| 500 | 0.367749375 |
| 1,000 | 0.73549875 |
About Horsepower (Metric) (hp)
Metric horsepower (PS or CV, from German Pferdestärke or French Cheval-vapeur) equals exactly 75 kgf·m/s or 735.49875 watts. It is the standard for automotive engine power ratings in continental Europe, Japan, and many other countries. A typical family car engine produces 70–150 PS; sports cars 200–500 PS; hypercars exceeding 1,000 PS. The metric hp is about 1.4% less than the mechanical (British) horsepower (745.7 W).
A VW Golf 1.5 TSI produces about 130 PS (96 kW). A Porsche 911 Turbo S produces 650 PS (478 kW). The metric hp is the number on European car spec sheets.
Etymology: Introduced in the late 19th century as a metric alternative to Watt's mechanical horsepower, defined as the power to raise 75 kilograms by one meter per second. Widely adopted in continental Europe and Japan; standardized as the PS (Pferdestärke) in Germany.
About Megawatt (MW)
A megawatt (MW) equals one million watts and is the standard unit for power station output, large industrial facilities, and grid-scale renewable energy. A single onshore wind turbine generates 2–5 MW at full capacity. A large gas peaker plant might output 100–500 MW. Data centers consume tens to hundreds of megawatts. Utility-scale solar and battery storage projects are sized in megawatts.
A 2 MW wind turbine at 40% capacity factor produces about 700 MWh per month. A large hospital might draw 10–30 MW of electrical power continuously.
Horsepower (Metric) – Frequently Asked Questions
Why do European cars list PS instead of hp?
EU regulations require engine power in kilowatts, but consumers prefer a familiar number. Continental Europe adopted metric horsepower (PS) in the 19th century, and car culture cemented it. Germans say "PS," French say "CV," Italians say "CV" too. The UK uses "bhp" (British horsepower). A 200 PS car is 197 hp — close enough that most people don't notice the 1.4% difference. Japanese manufacturers use PS as well (sometimes written 馬力).
How does a car with 100 PS actually feel to drive?
In a light car (1,000 kg), 100 PS gives a power-to-weight ratio of 100 PS/tonne — adequate for city driving with 0–100 km/h in about 10–11 seconds. In a heavy SUV (2,000 kg), 100 PS feels sluggish, struggling on hills and taking 15+ seconds to reach highway speed. The magic number for "fun" is roughly 150–200 PS per tonne — which is why a 90 PS Mazda MX-5 (1,000 kg) feels livelier than a 200 PS family SUV (1,800 kg).
What is the most powerful production car in PS?
As of 2025, the Rimac Nevera holds the production EV record at 1,914 PS (1,408 kW). For combustion engines, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport delivers 1,600 PS. Koenigsegg's Jesko Absolut produces 1,600 PS. But the real mind-bender is that a Formula 1 car's power unit produces about 1,050 PS from just 1.6 liters — over 650 PS per liter, achieved through turbocharging and energy recovery systems at 15,000 RPM.
Why is metric horsepower slightly less than British horsepower?
Because they're defined differently. British hp = 550 ft·lbf/s = 745.7 W. Metric hp = 75 kgf·m/s = 735.5 W. The metric definition uses round metric numbers (75 kg, 1 m, 1 s) rather than being an exact conversion of the British unit. The ~1.4% gap is small enough that it rarely matters practically, but it means a car rated at 200 PS is technically 197 hp. Marketing departments sometimes quietly use whichever number is larger.
Do electric cars use PS or kW for their power ratings?
Both, depending on market. Tesla lists kW in tech specs but PS/hp in consumer marketing because buyers understand horsepower intuitively. A Tesla Model 3 Performance produces about 460 PS (340 kW). The shift toward kW is accelerating because EVs make the kW connection obvious — if you charge at 11 kW and your motor outputs 150 kW, the relationship is clear. Eventually kW may replace PS entirely, but decades of "how many horses?" thinking won't die easily.
Megawatt – Frequently Asked Questions
How many homes can 1 megawatt power?
In the US, roughly 750–1,000 homes (average consumption ~1.2 kW per home). In Europe, where usage is lower, 1 MW can serve 1,500–2,000 homes. But this is average — on a hot summer afternoon when everyone cranks AC, that number can drop to 300–400 homes. Grid planners must size for peak demand, not averages, which is why installed capacity far exceeds average load.
How much power does a data center use in megawatts?
A small data center uses 1–5 MW; a large hyperscale facility (Google, AWS, Microsoft) draws 50–200 MW — some exceeding 300 MW. The entire US data center industry consumed about 17 GW in 2023, roughly 4% of national electricity. AI training clusters are pushing demand higher: a single large GPU cluster can draw 50–100 MW, and planned AI-focused campuses target 1 GW or more.
What is the megawatt output of a single wind turbine?
Onshore turbines typically rate 2–6 MW; the latest offshore monsters reach 14–16 MW per turbine. Vestas' V236-15.0 MW turbine has a rotor diameter of 236 meters — wider than two football fields. A single sweep of its blades can generate enough electricity for a UK household for two days. Capacity factors run 25–45% onshore and 40–55% offshore, so actual average output is roughly half the nameplate rating.
How many megawatts is a nuclear reactor?
Most operating reactors produce 500–1,400 MW of electrical power. The world's largest, at France's Gravelines plant, has six reactors totalling 5,460 MW. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) being developed target 50–300 MW each. Nuclear plants run at 85–95% capacity factor — far higher than wind (~35%) or solar (~25%) — meaning a 1,000 MW reactor actually delivers about 900 MW on average.
Why are battery storage projects measured in MW and MWh separately?
MW tells you the maximum instantaneous power the battery can deliver (how fast it can discharge), while MWh tells you total stored energy (how long it can sustain that output). A 100 MW / 400 MWh battery can deliver 100 MW for 4 hours, or 50 MW for 8 hours. Grid operators care about both: MW for handling sudden demand spikes, MWh for sustained backup during extended outages or evening solar fade.