Convert Kilowatt to Volt-Ampere (kW → VA)

Converting kilowatts to volt-amperes is straightforward: multiply by the conversion factor. Follow these three steps to do it by hand or in your head.

1. 1
   Take your value in kilowatts

   Start with the number of kilowatts (kW) you want to convert.
2. 2
   Multiply by 1,000

   The conversion factor from kW to VA is 1,000. Multiply your value by this number.
3. 3
   Read the result in volt-amperes

   The result is your value in volt-amperes (VA).

Multiply the value in kilowatts by 1,000. For the reverse direction, multiply by 0.001.

• ✓1 kW = 1000 W = 1.34 hp = 1.36 PS.
• ✓Home electricity contracted capacity often 3–11 kW in EU.
• ✓Multiply kW × hours = kWh energy consumed.

• ✗Confusing kW with kWh — power vs energy.
• ✗Assuming all hp measurements are identical — PS differs by 1.4%.
• ✗Exceeding contracted kW limit trips home main breaker.

What is the Kilowatt?

The kilowatt equals 1,000 watts and is the standard power rating for European cars, household appliances, and small industrial motors. European car engines are rated in kW (a typical economy car has 70–110 kW, a sports car 200–500 kW), even though horsepower is often quoted alongside for marketing. Major household appliances range from 1–3 kW (electric kettle, microwave) to 5–10 kW (electric oven, central air conditioning). Solar panel arrays for homes are sized in kW (typical residential system: 5–10 kW). Electric motors in industry are commonly rated 1 to 500 kW. The kilowatt relates to the watt (1,000 W = 1 kW), the megawatt (1,000 kW = 1 MW), horsepower (1 kW ≈ 1.341 hp), the BTU per hour (1 kW ≈ 3,412 BTU/h), and the kWh of energy when multiplied by hours.

• Car and motorcycle engine ratings (Europe)
• Home electrical service sizing
• HVAC and heating-pump capacity

What is the Volt-Ampere?

The volt-ampere (VA) is the SI unit of apparent power in alternating-current (AC) electrical systems. Equal to volts times amperes, the VA represents the magnitude of power flowing in an AC circuit before accounting for the phase relationship between voltage and current. For purely resistive loads (incandescent bulbs, heaters), 1 VA = 1 W. For reactive loads (motors, transformers, fluorescent lights), the apparent power (VA) is larger than the real power (W) because of the phase shift — the ratio is the 'power factor.' Transformers, UPS units, and generators are rated in VA or kVA (kilo-VA) because they must handle the apparent power, not just the real power. A typical home UPS for a desktop computer is 600–1,500 VA. The VA relates to the watt (1 VA = 1 W only at unity power factor), the kilovolt-ampere (1 kVA = 1,000 VA), and the megavolt-ampere (1 MVA = 10⁶ VA — used in utility-scale transformers).

• Transformer sizing
• Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) ratings
• Generator capacity