A 200-horsepower sedan. A 400-hp sports car. A 700-hp muscle car. Horsepower is one of the first numbers people look at when comparing cars.
More horsepower usually sounds better, but what does the term actually mean? The answer is simpler than it might seem. Horsepower is a measurement of how quickly a combustion engine or electric motor can do work. In a car, it helps describe how much power the vehicle has available to accelerate, overcome resistance, and maintain speed.
