kW (kilowatt)
Kilowatt
The unit of power. On a car page it describes two different things: how strong the motor is and how fast the car can charge.
A kilowatt (kW) measures power: the rate at which energy is produced or consumed. The US Energy Information Administration defines one kilowatt as 1,000 watts. On a car page, kW shows up in two unrelated places, and reading them apart is essential.
First, motor or engine output. A BEV's motor power in kW is directly comparable to a gas car's output, and many markets quote combustion engines in kW as well; horsepower is just another unit for the same quantity. Motor power is one input to acceleration, and the 0–100 km/h figure is the direct measure.
Second, charging power. The maximum DC fast charging rate in kW, together with the charging curve, decides how long a road-trip stop takes, while the onboard charger's kW rating limits AC charging at home. The EPA notes that a 50 kW charger is five times more powerful than a 10 kW one.
A 150 kW motor and 150 kW charging are different facts about different hardware. And kW is not kWh: power is the flow, kilowatt-hours are the amount stored.