If you have an electric vehicle you might be familiar with these two terms, one is kW and the other one is kWh. For instance, we might believe both are the same, but that’s not true. Although both terms are related to batteries both are completely different.
This article is all about learning “What Is kWh?” and “What Is kW?” and figuring out the differences between kW Vs kWh. We will also discuss the kWh calculator, which means calculating kWh for any electrical device. So let’s move on!
What Is kWh?
The full form of kWh is Kilo Watt Hour. In layman’s language, it is the unit of electricity. In India, for any electrical device, we calculate how many units of electricity it consumes per hour which is nothing but the kWh in technical terms.
In simple language, the higher the value of kWh, the more electricity the device will consume per hour. Let’s take the following example to find out kWh in a better way.
Here is an example of a Smart TV available on Amazon. The rated wattage for the TV is 145 watts or .145 kW. This means, the TV will consume one unit of electricity if you run the TV for 6.89 hours which is derived by (1/.145).
Samsung 138 cm (55 inches) 4K Ultra HD Smart QLED TV QA55Q60DAULXL (Black)
In a nutshell, kWh is the measurement of energy that a device will consume per hour. In electrical vehicles, the batteries are rated as kWh. For example, a 2.9 kWh Ola S1 X scooter will consume 2.9 units of electricity for a full charge. But it does not mean that it will consume 2.9 units of electricity per hour. That is where the term kW comes into the picture which we have discussed in the next paragraph.
kWh Calculator
To calculate kWh, you can use the following formula: kWh= kW x time in hours per day
For example, if you have a 2 kW appliance running for 3 hours, the calculation would be kWh= 2 X3 = 6 kWh. This means the appliance will consume 6 units of electricity per day if you run it for 3 hours per day.
What Is kW?
kW is the measurement of power. The full form of kW is kilo-watt. It is the measurement of the rate of power that an electrical device needs to operate. The higher the value of kW, the more electricity is needed to operate it.
For example, electrical battery portable chargers are rated as watts or kW. For example, if you have a 3 kWh battery pack and you have a 500 W portable charger, it will take 6 hours for the charger to fully charge the 3 kWh battery.
1 kW=1000 Watts.
Difference Between kW And kWh
The main difference between kW and kWh is that kW measures the power whereas kWh measures the energy. Both are related to batteries.
Kilowatt (kW): Kilowatt (kW) is a unit of power. It measures the rate at which energy is used or generated. In simpler terms, it represents the amount of energy used or produced at any given moment. For example, a 100-watt light bulb uses 0.1 kW of power when it is turned on.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): Kilowatt-hour (kWh), on the other hand, is a unit of energy. It measures the amount of energy used over some time. To put it simply, it represents the total amount of energy consumed or produced over a specific period. For instance, if a 1 kW appliance is used for 1 hour, it consumes 1 kWh of energy.
In essence, the main difference between kW and kWh is that kW measures the rate of energy usage or production at a specific moment, while kWh measures the total amount of energy used over time.
Here is a simple chart showing the differences between kW and kWH
| Electrical Device | Power (kW) | Hours Of Operation | Energy (kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV | 0.145 | 8 | 8.145 |
| Monitor | 0.030 | 8 | 0.24 |
| Air Conditioner | 1.300 | 8 | 10.4 |
| Home EV charger | 0.750 | 8 | 6 |
| DC Fast Charger | 50 | 8 | 400 |
Importance Of kW And kWh In Electrical Vehicles
In electric vehicles, the battery capacity is rated as kWh, and portable charger / DC fast charger power is rated as kW.
For example, the Vida V1 Pro Scooter has a rated battery capacity is 3.4 kWh and it comes with a 750-watt charger. This means that to fully charge the battery you need to consume 3.4 units of electricity and the battery will be fully charged in about (3400/750= 4.53) 4.53 hours if you use the portable charger.
Now if you charge it using any DC fast charger of around 5 kW rated power, it will take about (3.4 /50= 0.68 ) 0.68 hours to fully charge the battery.
So, it is very important to know the battery capacity (kWh) of the electrical vehicle that you are buying because that will decide how long you can drive on a single charge. That will also tell us how much electricity the battery will consume per full charge.
On the other hand, you should also be aware of the kW rating of the charger because that will decide how much time the charge will take to charge the battery.
Conclusion: kW vs kWh
In conclusion, it’s important to understand the distinction between kW and kWh. While kW measures the rate of energy usage or production at a specific moment, kWh measures the total amount of energy used over time. Knowing the difference between these two units is essential for understanding and managing energy consumption effectively.
Understanding the difference between kW and kWh can also help in making informed decisions when it comes to energy usage and managing electricity bills. Whether you are a homeowner, a business owner, or simply someone interested in energy efficiency, knowing the distinction between kW and kWh can be beneficial in various aspects of daily life.
What Is kWh?
kWh is the measurement of the energy capacity of any electrical device that it can store and deliver when in use. The higher the value of kWh, more the electricity is used per hour.
What Is The Difference Between kW And kWh?
kW is the measurement of rated power and kWh is the measurement of rated energy. The higher the value of kW, the less time it takes to charge a battery. On the other hand hand, the higher the value of kWh, the higher the electricity consumption per hour.
