kWh

Units & Measurements abbreviation · Engineering Unit

kWh
Stands forKilowatt-hour
CategoriesUnits & Measurements

kWh stands for Kilowatt-hour, an engineering unit abbreviation.

The unit on electricity bills: the energy used by a 1,000-watt load running for one hour, equal to 3.6 megajoules. The average US home uses roughly 10,500 kWh a year, and electric car batteries typically hold 50 to 100 kWh.

Example: Your bill shows 862 kWh used this month at $0.16 per kWh.

Usage notes

Utilities bill energy (kWh), not power (kW): a 1,500 W space heater running for 4 hours uses 6 kWh. EV efficiency is often given in kWh per 100 miles, around 25 to 35 for most models. In the UK a kWh is commonly called a "unit" of electricity. Also written kW·h; KWH and Kwh are incorrect.

More engineering unit abbreviations

  • kph – Kilometers per hour
  • ksi – Kilopounds per square inch
  • kt – Knot (aviation)
  • kV – Kilovolt
  • kVA – Kilovolt-ampere
  • kW – Kilowatt
  • kWp – Kilowatt-peak
  • L/100 km – Liters per 100 kilometers
  • lb-ft – Pound-feet
  • lbf – Pound-force
  • lm – Lumen
  • lx – Lux

See all 103 engineering unit abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.