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Power-to-Weight Ratio Calculator

Power-to-weight ratio (PWR, also written W/kg or hp/lb) measures how much power is produced per unit of mass. Cyclists use it to compare climbing ability; car reviewers use it to compare acceleration potential. This tool accepts W, kW or mechanical horsepower together with kilograms or pounds and classifies the result on a Coggan-style cycling FTP scale or against typical road-car ranges.

Use case

Power-to-weight ratio

4.00 W/kg

Trained

Other units

W/kg
4.00
hp/kg
0.0054
hp/lb
0.0024

Cyclist tiers (W/kg)

Bands: Coggan & Allen, "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" (3rd ed., 2019), 20-min FTP table simplified into five tiers.

Formula

P/W (W/kg) = Power (W) / Mass (kg) hp/kg = (W/kg) / 745.6999 hp/lb = (W/kg) / 745.6999 / 2.20462

Frequently asked

What is a good W/kg for a cyclist?

Using the public Coggan & Allen FTP brackets (20-minute sustained power): untrained adults sit at 1.5–2.5 W/kg; enthusiastic recreational cyclists at 3.0–3.5; amateur Cat 3–4 around 3.5–4.0; Cat 1–2 around 4.0–5.0; national-development / pro-contiguous around 5.0–5.5; WorldTour pros above 5.5. On long climbs Tour de France contenders like Pogačar and Vingegaard sustain 6.0–6.4 W/kg for 30+ minutes. For a real estimate, ride a 20-minute FTP test on a calibrated trainer; take 95 % of the average and divide by your weight in kg.

How does a car's power-to-weight ratio map to 0–100 km/h time?

Roughly: below 60 W/kg you usually need >10 s to 100 km/h; ~100 W/kg gives 6–8 s; ~150 W/kg gives 4–6 s; above 250 W/kg is normally sub-3 s. But power-to-weight is only the ceiling — real numbers also depend on gearbox type (DCT vs torque-converter vs CVT), tyre grip, AWD vs RWD, launch technique, aerodynamics and (for EVs) the torque curve. Examples: Tesla Model S Plaid ≈ 760 hp / 2,160 kg ≈ 263 W/kg → 2.1 s to 100 km/h; Mazda MX-5 ≈ 181 hp / 1,060 kg ≈ 127 W/kg → ~6.5 s.

What is the difference between mechanical (hp) and metric horsepower (PS)?

Mechanical horsepower (imperial hp) = 745.6999 W — defined by James Watt in 1782 from "one horse lifts 550 ft·lb per second." Metric horsepower (PS / Pferdestärke or CV / chevaux vapeur) = 735.49875 W — defined to round-trip "75 kg × 9.80665 m/s² × 1 m/s." They differ by about 1.4 %: an engine rated 200 PS in Europe is ≈ 197 mechanical hp ≈ 147 kW. This tool uses mechanical hp following Anglo-American automotive convention. To enter a PS figure, multiply by 0.9863 first, or use kW directly for a more precise conversion.

To improve W/kg: lose weight or gain power?

Mathematically they're equivalent — W/kg = W ÷ kg, so losing 1 % bodyweight changes the ratio the same as adding 1 % power. In practice it depends on where you start: (1) if body fat is clearly elevated and not limiting your FTP, dropping a few kg usually moves W/kg faster than the equivalent training block — power gains take months of aerobic-base work. (2) But over-restricting (dipping below BMI 18.5, RED-S in women) tanks power, hormones and performance. (3) Experienced riders already at 4.5 W/kg+ are typically close to their personal fat floor, and structured base + threshold work is more sustainable than further weight loss. Plan it with a qualified coach / dietitian — never chase a number at the cost of health.

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