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Horsepower vs Torque – A Simple Explanation

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What’s The Difference Between Horsepower & Torque?
Why Is Peak Acceleration At Peak Power? https://youtu.be/cb6rIZfCuHI
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Which is better, horsepower or torque? Two words that are often stated in the car community, but often misunderstood. This video seeks to clarify the difference between the two, without silly analogies like “horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take it with you” (which, by the way, is highly inaccurate).

Torque is a force acting at a radius, while horsepower simply incorporates time into the equation. This video will discuss the differences, how each applies to internal combustion engines, how they relate, what peak torque and peak horsepower actually mean, and how to analyze torque and horsepower curves. Finally, what’s more important for acceleration, a car with lots of power, or lots of torque?

Let’s get technical. With the context of an engine: Power = Torque x Angular Velocity. In imperial units, this translates to Horsepower = Torque x RPM / 5252.

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42 comments

  1. So any HP and torque listings are a bit arbitrary, aren't they?
    More = better, but for more practical values and comparability, you'd always have to look at a rpm/torque graph, rght?

  3. Grew up with no one teaching me a thing about cars. I won't lie, I didn't even know what an engine was until a few months ago. So I took matters into my own hands and am teaching myself and THIS MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!! I'M FASCINATED!! Cars are so cool 😀

  5. Great video. I have watched many and enjoy the topics and the way you explain it. Would have loved to have these back in the early 90's when I was part of our LeTourneau SAE club and teams doing design projects like the Mini Baja, Formula SAE, and the High Mileage competition.

  7. I think of it in terms of semi's. Torque=how much weight a truck can pull. I.e., how much weight in a trailer sitting still can it get moving Horsepower=how fast it can pull that weight

  8. Hello sir i dont get something how some engine have a lot torque but low horsepower ? How this possible when u have more force ?!!
    U torquie is power to force piston down and horsepower = camchaft speed right how when we have more force camshaft speed is low ?!
    (Sorry if have mistake not native)

  10. Where does engine displacement falls into these? And is there any equations to calculate output of an engine in total from Power, Torque, Weight & Displacement stats?

  12. My wife loves cars but doesn’t understand the video , so I did it in her language.
    Power , how many credit card transaction you make
    Torque , how big the transactions are.
    Engine braking, how much I limit her spending
    She has gone all quite now.

  14. I want to increase torque on my sedan car so that i have no problem in hill climbing esp when the car is loaded with passenger.
    Beside changing into low gear,
    What are other options to increase torque?

  23. To me the most simple way to think about it is that power is torque being delivered at some rate. Nothing more, nothing less. People think of power and torque as two different things and argue about which is better but the fact is that by definition power is simply torque in motion at some rotational speed. An engine's torque by itself can do no work – it has to be delivered at some rate in order to do work, regardless if that is moving a vehicle, spinning a generator, powering a machine, or whatever. This is why an engine's power rating is what determines how much work it can do in a given amount of time, not its torque rating.

  31. Probably the clearest explanation I've heard thus far. Got ya the first time around, though I am mechanically inclined as well. I prefer torque, because I like the usable power at a lower RPM.

  33. I asked a professional drag racer to tell me the difference between torque and horsepower. This was his answer: "Torque is what GETS you going, and horsepower is what KEEPS you going."
    Do you agree?

  34. Maybe my IQ is too low. I always thought that Horse Power is about how many "horses" you have pulling your steel carriage. And Torque is whether your horses are really horses or donkeys or bulls.

  35. the best way to look at it is that horsepower is the amount of energy that can affect the car's performance. the higher the horsepower, the higher the potential of going fast.

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