Power to Weight Ratio (PWR) Calculator

This power-to-weight ratio calculator provides a quick and easy way to determine the power-to-weight ratio (PWR) of any vehicle.

You can calculate a PWR in four simple steps:

  • 1. Select the unit system you would like to use from the drop-down menu
  • 2. Input the curb weight of the vehicle
  • 3. Enter the engine's power
  • 4. Click on the "Calculate PWR" button to generate the PWR.
Power to Weight Ratio Calculator

lb

hp

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Power-to-Weight Ratio (PWR):  ()

What is the power-to-weight ratio?

The power-to-weight ratio represents the ratio between a vehicle's power and its total weight. The higher the PWR, the faster the vehicle will accelerate. It is for this reason that motorbikes accelerate quicker than most cars. They may not be as powerful but they are lightweight; as such, they are likely to be faster because they have a higher PWR.

PWR calculations are commonly used to predict vehicle speed.

Let's say we have a vehicle that weighs 1500 pounds and has a horsepower (hp) of 200. Its PWR will be as 0.133 hp/lb, which entails that it has a power output of 0.133 hp for every pound of weight.

Calculating PWR

It's very easy to calculate a power-to-weight ratio. Simply divide the power output of a vehicle by its weight. For example, if you have a car that weights 2000 pounds and has 250 hp, the PWR will be as follows:

250 / 2000 = 0.125 hp for every pound of car.

Power-to-weight ratio (PWR) formula

The power-to-weight ratio calculator uses the following formulas to calculate the power-to-weight ratios:

PWR (hp/lb) = P (hp) / WT (lb)

PWR (W/kg) = P (W) / WT (kg)

Where:

PWR = Power-to-weight ratio (horsepower per pound, watts per kilogram),

P = Power (horsepower, watts),

WT = Weight (pounds, kilograms).

Conversions:

1 Horsepower per pound (hp/lb) = 1.64398682456 Kilowatt per kilogram (kW/kg)

1 Kilowatt per kilogram (kW/kg) = 0.6082773809745355 Horsepower per pound (hp/lb)

You may also be interested in our Quarter Mile Calculator

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