0–60 Time Calculator
Estimates 0–60 mph and 0–100 km/h from power and weight using an empirical fit. Good to about a second for ordinary road cars; take it as a ballpark, not a promise.
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The formula
t(0–60) ≈ 1.6 × √(weight in lb ÷ hp) + drivetrain adjustment
A square-root fit to published 0–60 times against weight-to-power. The physics is in the exponent — acceleration scales with power over mass, and the time to a fixed speed with roughly the square root of that — and the 1.6 absorbs gearing, traction and aerodynamics as an average over many cars.
What to watch out for
Why it is an estimate and what moves it:
- Traction. Below about 3 s the tyres, not the engine, set the time — AWD and launch control matter more than power.
- Gearing. A car that has to shift to third before 60 mph loses time; one that does it in second gains.
- Turbo lag and torque curve. Peak power is one number; what matters is the average across the run.
- Manufacturer times are optimistic — a professional driver, a prepared surface, and sometimes a rollout allowance of a foot that knocks 0.2–0.3 s off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 0–60 estimated from horsepower?
Roughly 1.6 times the square root of pounds per horsepower. A 3,300 lb car with 268 hp is 12.3 lb/hp, giving about 5.6 s rear-wheel drive — a second less with all-wheel drive and launch control, a second more if it is front-wheel drive on a poor surface.
How accurate is a 0–60 calculator?
Within about a second for most road cars, and worse below 3 s where traction dominates. It is a fit to real cars, so it describes the typical outcome for a given power-to-weight, not any particular car.
Is 0–100 km/h the same as 0–60 mph?
Nearly. 100 km/h is 62 mph, so 0–100 takes about 4% longer than 0–60.