Enter the total horsepower and weight of a car into the calculator to estimate the quarter-mile time.

Horsepower Quarter Mile Formula

The following formula is used to estimate a quarter-mile time from horsepower:

T = ( W / H ) ^ (1/3) * 5.82

  • Where T is the estimated quarter mile time (seconds)
  • W is the weight of the car (lbs)
  • H is the total horsepower of the car

Horsepower to Quarter Mile Definition

How can horsepower be used to calculate a quarter-mile time?

The real answer is that horsepower alone can not be used to calculate a quarter-mile time, but horsepower along with vehicle weight can be used to estimate one.

While tire friction, air resistance, and other factors all play a role, they are not nearly as important as weight and horsepower for quarter-mile distances, so an estimated time can be figured from just those two pieces of information.

Example Problem

How to calculate horsepower quarter-mile?

First, determine the total horsepower that vehicle can output. In this example, the vehicle is rated at 800 horsepower.

Next, determine the total weight of the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle weighs 5000 lbs.

Finally, calculate the estimated quarter-mile time using the formula above:

T = ( W / H ) ^ (1/3) * 5.82

T = ( 5000 / 800 ) ^ (1/3) * 5.82

T = 10.72 seconds