How many volts are in a kilovolt (kV)?

How many volts are in a kilovolt (kV)? There are 1,000 volts in one kilovolt. The prefix “kilo-” comes from the Greek word for “thousand” and has the same meaning in units such as kilogram and kilometer. Thus, 2 kV equals 2,000 volts, while 0.5 kV equals 500 volts.

A volt measures electric potential difference, often described as the force that pushes electric charge through a circuit. The unit honors Alessandro Volta, the Italian physicist who developed the voltaic pile, an early battery, around 1800. The volt became part of the international metric system of electrical units.

A common mix-up is confusing voltage with electrical energy or power. Voltage is measured in volts, current in amperes, and power in watts. Household electricity may be described in hundreds of volts, while utility transmission lines commonly operate at tens or hundreds of kilovolts to move electricity efficiently over long distances.