[Glossary](/glossary.md)/[Mobility](/glossary/category/mobility.md)

# Acceleration

How quickly a vehicle reaches speed from a standstill, which matters far more in practice than its top speed.

Also known as pick-up, responsiveness.

Most driving in a battle is short: out of cover, across a gap, back behind a rock. All of it is acceleration, and a vehicle that reaches 40 kilometres per hour in three seconds beats one that reaches 55 in twelve.

It comes from [power-to-weight](/glossary/power-to-weight.md) divided by [terrain resistance](/glossary/terrain-resistance.md), and it is the reason the first position of a battle is contested by [mediums](/glossary/medium-tank.md) and [lights](/glossary/light-tank.md) rather than by whichever vehicle has the highest number on its speedometer.

## Related terms

[Power-to-weightEngine horsepower divided by the vehicle's weight in tonnes, the single best predictor of acceleration.](/glossary/power-to-weight.md)[Terrain resistanceHow much each ground type slows a vehicle down, quoted for hard, medium and soft terrain, where lower is better.](/glossary/terrain-resistance.md)[Top speedThe highest speed a vehicle is allowed to reach, which it only attains with enough engine power and forgiving ground.](/glossary/top-speed.md)

[Every World of Tanks term](/glossary.md)

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