acalculator

What is my 0-60 time?

Type a 0-60 time to get the average acceleration in g and the distance covered, type an acceleration to get the 0-60 time, or type the power and weight for the ideal time. The 0-60 calculator also works for 0-100 km/h or any target speed.

Your numbers

Units
Work out
Answer
a = 4.4704 m/s² (0.455854 g)

From 0 to 60 mph takes 6 s at an average of 0.455854 g.

0-60 time (s)
6
Average acceleration (g)
0.455854
Average acceleration (m/s²)
4.4704
Average acceleration (ft/s²)
14.6667
Distance covered
264 ft

Answer: a = 4.4704 m/s² (0.455854 g). From 0 to 60 mph takes 6 s at an average of 0.455854 g.

How to calculate

Works out a 0-60 mph time and the average acceleration and distance from the time, the time from an acceleration, or the ideal 0-60 time from power and weight, for any target speed.

Example with the default inputs (Work out From the time, Target speed 60 mph, 0-60 time 6 s): From 0 to 60 mph takes 6 s at an average of 0.455854 g.

Method: a = v ÷ t and x = ½ v t at a steady acceleration; t = m v² ÷ (2P) and x = ⅔ v t at a steady power (½ m v² = P t).

  • The car starts from a standstill. The time and acceleration modes use the average acceleration, as if it were steady.
  • The power mode is an ideal lower bound: all the power goes into speed from the first instant, with no wheelspin, gear changes, drag or drivetrain losses, so real cars take longer.
  • Units: 1 mph = 0.44704 m/s; 1 km/h = 1/3.6 m/s; 1 hp = 745.69987158227022 W; 1 PS = 735.49875 W; 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg; g = 9.80665 m/s².

Machine-readable copies: Markdown, JSON.

Worked examples

Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.

  1. Work out From the time, Target speed 60 mph, 0-60 time 6 s gives Average acceleration (m/s²) 4.4704, Average acceleration (g) 0.455854, Distance covered 264 ft, Answer a = 4.4704 m/s² (0.455854 g).Source: OpenStax, University Physics Volume 1, §3.4 Motion with Constant Acceleration (v = v₀ + at; x = ½(v₀ + v)t), https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-1/pages/3-4-motion-with-constant-acceleration
  2. Work out From acceleration, Target speed 60 mph, Average acceleration 0.5, Acceleration unit g gives 0-60 time (s) 5.470247, Answer t = 5.47025 s.Source: OpenStax, University Physics Volume 1, §3.4 Motion with Constant Acceleration (v = v₀ + at; x = ½(v₀ + v)t), https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-1/pages/3-4-motion-with-constant-acceleration
  3. Work out From power, Target speed 60 mph, Power 300 hp, Weight 3,500 lb gives 0-60 time (s) 2.552782, Distance covered 149.763 ft.Source: OpenStax, University Physics Volume 1, §7.4 Power (P = W ÷ t) and §7.3 Work-Energy Theorem, https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-1/pages/7-4-power
  4. Work out From the time, Target speed 62.14 mph, 0-60 time 8 s gives Average acceleration (m/s²) 3.472222, Distance covered 364.538 ft.Source: OpenStax, University Physics Volume 1, §3.4 Motion with Constant Acceleration (v = v₀ + at; x = ½(v₀ + v)t), https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-1/pages/3-4-motion-with-constant-acceleration

How it works

The car starts from a standstill and reaches the target speed v (60 mph unless you change it). Pick what you know.

  • From the time t: average acceleration a = v ÷ t; distance x = ½ × v × t.
  • From an acceleration a: t = v ÷ a; distance x = ½ × v × t.
  • From power P and weight m: at a steady power the work P × t becomes kinetic energy ½ m v², so t = m × v² ÷ (2P). The speed then grows as √t, and the distance is x = ⅔ × v × t. The average acceleration is v ÷ t.

The acceleration shows in g (a ÷ 9.80665 m/s²), m/s² and ft/s² (a ÷ 0.3048).

Units: 1 mph = 0.44704 m/s; 1 km/h = 1/3.6 m/s; 1 hp = 550 ft·lbf/s = 745.69987158227022 W; 1 PS = 75 × 9.80665 = 735.49875 W; 1 kW = 1,000 W; 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg; 1 short ton = 907.18474 kg; 1 t = 1,000 kg; 1 ft = 0.3048 m.

Exact arithmetic. Each value is read as the exact decimal you typed, in its unit, and every unit size is an exact decimal, so every result is an exact fraction until it is rounded for display.

Output format. The answer line shows 6 significant figures: a = 4.4704 m/s² (0.455854 g) from a time, or t = 5.47025 s from an acceleration or a power. Every value row shows 6 significant figures; the distance shows in feet (meters in Metric).

When there is no answer. A time over 10¹² seconds (a tiny acceleration or power for the speed and weight).

Assumptions

  • The time and acceleration modes treat the average acceleration as steady.
  • The power mode is an ideal lower bound: all the power goes into speed from the first instant, with no wheelspin, gear changes, drag or losses.
  • Target speed 0.01 to 10,000 m/s; time 0.01 to 100,000 s; acceleration 0.000001 to 1,000,000 in its unit; power 1 W to 10⁹ W; weight 0.1 kg to 10⁷ kg.

Worked examples by hand

0 to 60 mph in 6 s. 60 × 0.44704 = 26.8224 m/s. a = 26.8224 ÷ 6 = 4.4704 m/s² = 4.4704 ÷ 9.80665 = 0.455854 g. x = ½ × 26.8224 × 6 = 80.4672 m = 264 ft.

A steady 0.5 g. a = 0.5 × 9.80665 = 4.903325 m/s². t = 26.8224 ÷ 4.903325 = 5.47025 s.

300 hp and 3,500 lb. P = 300 × 745.69987158227022 = 223,709.961 W; m = 3,500 × 0.45359237 = 1,587.573295 kg. t = 1,587.573295 × 26.8224² ÷ (2 × 223,709.961) = 2.55278 s; x = ⅔ × 26.8224 × 2.55278 = 45.6478 m.

0 to 100 km/h in 8 s. 100 km/h = 250/9 = 27.7778 m/s. a = 27.7778 ÷ 8 = 3.47222 m/s²; x = ½ × 27.7778 × 8 = 111.111 m.

Other questions people ask

How do I work out acceleration from a 0-60 time?

Divide the speed by the time. 60 mph is 26.8224 m/s, so a 6-second 0-60 time is an average of 26.8224 ÷ 6 = 4.4704 m/s², or 4.4704 ÷ 9.80665 = 0.456 g.

How far does a car travel from 0 to 60 mph?

At a steady acceleration the distance is half the top speed times the time. In 6 seconds a car covers ½ × 26.8224 m/s × 6 s = 80.4672 m, exactly 264 ft.

What 0-60 time does 1 g give?

At a steady 1 g (9.80665 m/s²), 0-60 mph takes 26.8224 ÷ 9.80665 = 2.735 s. Few road cars can hold that much grip from a standstill.

How does horsepower set the 0-60 time?

At a steady power, the work done P × t equals the kinetic energy gained, ½ m v², so t = m v² ÷ (2P). For 300 hp and 3,500 lb this ideal time is 2.55 s. Real cars are slower because of traction limits, gear changes, drag and drivetrain losses, so treat it as a lower bound.

Can I work out 0-100 km/h?

Yes. Change the target speed to 100 km/h. A car that reaches 100 km/h (27.78 m/s) in 8 s averages 3.47 m/s², or 0.354 g.

Is 0-60 acceleration steady?

No. A car pulls hardest in low gears and less as it speeds up. The page gives the average acceleration over the run, which is what the time tells you.