To convert megavolts to kilovolts, multiply by 1000. That factor is the whole relationship: both units measure the electrical potential difference driving a current, so the conversion is a proportion with no offset and no substance-specific constant.
Kilovolts describe distribution lines, ignition systems and insulation ratings — the level at which air itself starts to conduct. One mega volt is a million of a volt (1e6 volts).
Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real the electrical potential difference driving a current figures into kilovolts so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
megavolts- The amount you are converting, in megavolts
1000- The exact number of kilovolts in one megavolt
kilovolts- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in megavolts.
- It is multiplied by 1000, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in kilovolts, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
UK mains: 0.00023 MV in kilovolts
Take uk mains, roughly 0.00023 MV. The conversion is a single multiplication — 0.00023 × 1000 — giving 0.23 kV. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 0.46 kV.
US mains: 0.00012 MV in kilovolts
US mains comes to about 0.00012 MV. Multiplying by the factor: 0.00012 × 1000 = 0.12 kV. Dividing the answer back by 1000 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many kilovolts are in one megavolt?
Exactly 1000. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert megavolts to kilovolts?
kilovolts = megavolts × 1000. Reversed, megavolts = kilovolts ÷ 1000, which is the same as multiplying by 0.001.
Which is the bigger unit, the megavolt or the kilovolt?
The megavolt. One megavolt equals 1000 kilovolts.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure the electrical potential difference driving a current. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a megavolt?
One mega volt is a million of a volt (1e6 volts).
What is a kilovolt?
Kilovolts describe distribution lines, ignition systems and insulation ratings — the level at which air itself starts to conduct.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Megavolts to kilovolts reference tables
| Megavolts | Kilovolts |
|---|---|
| 0.5 MV | 500 kV |
| 1 MV | 1000 kV |
| 2 MV | 2000 kV |
| 3 MV | 3000 kV |
| 5 MV | 5000 kV |
| 10 MV | 10,000 kV |
| 20 MV | 20,000 kV |
| 25 MV | 25,000 kV |
| 50 MV | 50,000 kV |
| 75 MV | 75,000 kV |
| 100 MV | 100,000 kV |
| 250 MV | 250,000 kV |
| 500 MV | 500,000 kV |
| 1000 MV | 1e+06 kV |
| 5000 MV | 5e+06 kV |
Exact factor: 1 megavolt = 1000 kilovolts.
| Quantity | MV | kV |
|---|---|---|
| AA alkaline cell | 1.5e-06 MV | 0.0015 kV |
| USB bus | 5e-06 MV | 0.005 kV |
| Car battery | 1.26e-05 MV | 0.0126 kV |
| UK mains | 0.00023 MV | 0.23 kV |
| US mains | 0.00012 MV | 0.12 kV |
| Overhead distribution line | 0.011 MV | 11 kV |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.