The ship was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines built by Humphrys, Tennant, each driving one propeller, using steam generated by 25 Belleville boilers at a working pressure of . The engines were rated at , using forced draught, and designed to reach a top speed of although "Asahi" reached from during her sea trials on 23 March 1900. She carried a maximum of of coal which allowed her to steam for at a speed of . The ship was fitted with three steam-driven dynamos.