kW to HP Calculator: Mechanical, Metric and Electric

22 kW to HP: conversion versus motor rating

22 kW = 29.5025 mechanical HP. A catalog may pair 22 kW and 30 HP ratings, but that pairing is not an exact unit conversion and does not establish that two motors are interchangeable.

Enter a power value, select the conversion direction, and choose mechanical, metric or electric horsepower. The quick buttons use mechanical HP. Voltage, current and phase count are not required when converting the same power between units.

kW to HP conversion table

Direct unit conversions rounded to three decimal places. These are not automatic motor selections.

How to convert kW to horsepower

Horsepower = kW × 1000 / watts per horsepower. The calculator uses 745.69987158227022 W for mechanical HP, 735.49875 W for metric HP, and 746 W for electric HP. Rounded forms are HP ≈ kW / 0.7457 for mechanical horsepower and PS ≈ kW / 0.7355 for metric horsepower.

For example, 1 kW is approximately 1.34102 mechanical HP or 1.35962 metric HP. The result changes with the definition of horsepower, not with the number of electrical phases.

Mechanical, metric and electric horsepower

Mechanical horsepower is defined from 550 foot-pound-force per second. Metric horsepower, commonly written PS or CV, is based on 75 kilogram-force meters per second. Electric horsepower uses 746 W.

Use the definition identified in the equipment documentation. An IEC frame, a manufacturer name or the country where equipment is sold does not by itself establish which horsepower unit a separate document uses.

The unit definitions and rounded conversion factors are listed in NIST Special Publication 811, Appendix B. The tables here are calculated from the factors stated above.

HP to kW: reverse conversion

kW = HP × watts per horsepower / 1000. Select HP → kW in the calculator and keep the correct horsepower definition.

Six worked kW to HP examples

0.25 kW to HP

0.25 × 1000 / 745.69987158227022 = 0.3353 mechanical HP. With metric horsepower, the same 0.25 kW equals 0.3399 PS.

0.75 kW to HP

0.75 × 1000 / 745.69987158227022 = 1.0058 mechanical HP. With metric horsepower, the same 0.75 kW equals 1.0197 PS.

2.2 kW to HP

2.2 × 1000 / 745.69987158227022 = 2.9502 mechanical HP. With metric horsepower, the same 2.2 kW equals 2.9912 PS.

15 kW to HP

15 × 1000 / 745.69987158227022 = 20.1153 mechanical HP. With metric horsepower, the same 15 kW equals 20.3943 PS.

22 kW to HP

22 × 1000 / 745.69987158227022 = 29.5025 mechanical HP. With metric horsepower, the same 22 kW equals 29.9117 PS.

75 kW to HP

75 × 1000 / 745.69987158227022 = 100.5767 mechanical HP. With metric horsepower, the same 75 kW equals 101.9716 PS.

Motor input power, shaft output and efficiency

A unit conversion expresses the same physical power in a different unit. If 22 kW represents shaft output, convert 22 kW directly to 29.5025 mechanical HP. Do not apply efficiency again.

If the known value is electrical input and you want shaft output, first apply the operating efficiency: output HP = input kW × efficiency × 1000 / 745.69987158227022. For 22 kW input and efficiency 0.92, the result is 27.1423 HP of shaft output.

In the other direction, a motor delivering 10 mechanical HP with efficiency 0.90 requires approximately 8.2856 kW electrical input at that operating point. These efficiencies are example assumptions; use data appropriate to the actual load.

Converting the power rating does not select a replacement motor, VFD, cable or circuit breaker. Equipment replacement also requires checking speed, torque, duty, mounting, voltage, frequency and the applicable installation requirements.

Other common conversions

Frequently asked questions

Is 0.75 kW exactly 1 HP?

No. It is approximately 1.0058 mechanical HP. A nominal catalog pairing may round it to a 1 HP class.

Is 2.2 kW exactly 3 HP?

No. It is approximately 2.9502 mechanical HP. A similar catalog power rating does not guarantee mechanical or electrical compatibility.

Does three-phase power change kW to HP?

No. Once power is known in kW, the unit conversion is independent of phase count. Phases matter when calculating electrical power from voltage and current.

Do I need power factor?

No for a direct kW to HP conversion. Power factor is needed in other AC calculations involving apparent power, voltage and current.

Do I need efficiency?

Only when relating electrical input to mechanical output. Do not apply it to a direct conversion of the same power.

Can I convert engine cc to HP with this factor?

No. Cubic centimeters describe displacement, not power. Use the Engine Displacement Calculator to calculate cc from bore, stroke and cylinder count; engine design and operating conditions are still needed to estimate power.

What does kW ke HP mean?

It means kW to HP. Use the same conversion after identifying the horsepower definition.

Continue your calculation

• kW to amps: include voltage, phase and power factor
• Three-phase current calculator
• CV to HP: metric and mechanical power
• Electrical calculators