Torque and engine power

Question

What is the relation between Torque and engine power?

Just wanted to know how power is distributed to wheels in a car.

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 23 '13 at 14:57

You've actually asked two different questions.

There is a very simple, mathematical relationship between torque and power. The power P generated at any given point in time is equal to the torque T produced at that time multiplied by the angular velocity w (i.e. engine RPM) at that time.

P = T * w

As to how the power is distributed to the wheels, that's the job of the transmission, differential, and half-shafts.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 23 '13 at 15:50

The torque is how strong your engine is. Power (Horsepower or kiloWatts) is how fast it can use that strength. To figure out how much work the car is doing, one uses the following formulas:

for Horsepower: Power (HP) = Torque (lb.in) x Speed (RPM) / 63,025 for kiloWatts : Power (kW) = Torque (N.m) x Speed (RPM) / 9.5488

Torque and engine power

2 Answers2