How many megawatts is 1 horsepower?

One mechanical horsepower equals approximately 0.00074569987 megawatts (about 745.7 watts). One electrical horsepower equals 0.000746 MW exactly. One metric horsepower (PS) equals approximately 0.00073549875 MW.

How many horsepower is 1 megawatt?

One megawatt equals approximately 1,341.02 mechanical horsepower, 1,340.48 electrical horsepower, or 1,359.62 metric horsepower (PS).

What is the difference between mechanical, electrical, and metric horsepower?

Mechanical (imperial) horsepower (745.69987 W) is the US standard for engines. Electrical horsepower (746 W exactly) is used for US electric motor ratings. Metric horsepower or PS (735.49875 W) is the European and Asian standard for vehicle power; it is about 1.4% lower than mechanical hp.

When would I need to convert HP to megawatts instead of kilowatts?

Megawatt conversions are useful for very large power figures — turbines, power plants, ships, and large industrial machinery. For typical vehicle or motor work, kilowatts (or the horsepower-to-watts tool) are usually more convenient because the MW values become very small decimal numbers.

Is this tool accurate enough for engineering use?

Yes. The conversion factors match ISO and IEEE standards to six or more significant figures, which is sufficient for most engineering, specification, and equipment selection tasks.

Horsepower to Megawatts Converter

Enter horsepower (mechanical, electrical, or metric PS) and instantly get the equivalent in megawatts.

HP to Megawatts

Horsepower value

HP type

Quick presets

Result

Enter a horsepower value on the left to see results.

Large-Scale Power Reference

Source / Machine	hp (mech)	kW	MW

Click any row to load that value into the converter.

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Summary

This tool converts horsepower values to megawatts using the three recognized HP standards: mechanical (imperial), electrical, and metric (PS/CV). Because 1 megawatt equals 1,000 kilowatts or roughly 1,341 mechanical horsepower, this conversion is most useful for large engines, turbines, and power plant comparisons. Enter an HP value, choose the HP type, and the megawatt result appears immediately. A reference table shows real-world power benchmarks from car engines to large power generators.

How it works

Enter a horsepower value in the input field.
Select the HP type: Mechanical (745.69987 W/hp), Electrical (746 W/hp), or Metric PS (735.49875 W/hp).
The tool multiplies the HP value by the conversion factor to get watts, then divides by 1,000,000 to get megawatts.
The kilowatt result is also shown for reference (watts divided by 1,000).
Use the reference table to see common large-scale power values and click any row to load it into the converter.

Use cases

Convert turbine or generator ratings from horsepower to megawatts for power grid planning.
Compare large diesel engine specs listed in HP against MW-rated electrical loads.
Translate ship or locomotive engine output from horsepower to megawatts.
Verify power plant capacity figures when datasheets use mixed units.
Cross-check wind turbine or hydroelectric output in both HP and MW.
Understand how a fleet of vehicles compares in total megawatts of installed power.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-19 · Reviewed by Nham Vu