0–60 mph and 0–100 km/h from power and weight
0–60 Calculator
Enter weight, power and the type of drivetrain to estimate how quickly a car gets to 60 mph. The result also shows the quarter-mile it should run, so you can compare launch and top-end power.
- Weight per hp
- 8.75 lb/hp
- Quarter-mile ET
- 12.00 sec
- Trap speed
- 113.6 mph
How the 0–60 calculator estimates acceleration
Time to 60 mph depends mostly on weight per unit of power, with drivetrain mattering because of traction. All-wheel-drive cars can put power down at the start more effectively than front-wheel-drive ones.
A 3,500 lb car with 400 hp has a power-to-weight of 8.75 lb/hp and, as a rear-wheel-drive car, comes out at 4.31 s to 60. The same car with AWD estimates at 3.97 s, and with FWD 4.54 s.
The 0–60 estimate uses a power-law model, t = K × (weight ÷ hp)0.8, with K = 0.70 for all-wheel drive, 0.76 for rear-wheel drive and 0.80 for front-wheel drive. The coefficients come from the published model at Calculator Academy. It assumes enough traction to use the power, so cars with poor tires will be slower.
0–60 mph by weight-to-power ratio (RWD)
| lb per hp | 0–60 mph | Typical feel |
|---|---|---|
| 4 lb/hp | 2.30 s | Supercar launch |
| 6 lb/hp | 3.19 s | Very quick |
| 8 lb/hp | 4.01 s | Very quick |
| 10 lb/hp | 4.80 s | Quick |
| 12 lb/hp | 5.55 s | Quick |
| 15 lb/hp | 6.63 s | Brisk |
| 20 lb/hp | 8.35 s | Relaxed |
0–60 vs 0–100 km/h
100 km/h is 62.1 mph, so a 0–100 km/h time is always a bit longer than 0–60 mph. We add about 5%, which is an approximation. Real figures vary with the car’s gearing and traction.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is a 0-60 calculator?
Within roughly a few tenths for conventional cars on grippy surfaces. Gearbox, traction control, rollout and tires change a lot, especially on very powerful or electric cars.
Does drivetrain matter?
Yes. AWD gets off the line more effectively, FWD loses traction when weight shifts rearward, and RWD sits between.
What 0–60 time is quick?
Under 6 s is performance-car territory, under 4.5 s is supercar-fast, and under 3 s is hypercar or fast EV territory.
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