
What's the Meaning of Horsepower?
If you want to know where the term horsepower came from, you have to go back to the 18th century. It was then that James Watt first used that word in relation to strength and power. Watt, it is said, wanted to find a way to sell more steam engines and promote his design. He surmised that to do this; he would need to impress potential buyers with their ability to perform work beyond the capabilities of the horses in use during that time.