PS to HP Converter

Convert metric horsepower (PS, CV or ch) to hp, bhp and kW as you type, with a chart up to 1,500 PS and real European cars next to their US ratings.

PS
Updated September 2026By 0-60calc TeamSources
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Conversion
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Horsepower
---hp

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1 PS = 735.5 W and 1 hp = 745.7 W, so 1 PS = 0.9863 hp.

Got the horsepower? See the 0-60 time it gives

On this page

How to convert PS to hp

PS (Pferdestärke) is metric horsepower: the power to raise 75 kilograms by one meter in one second, which is 735.5 watts. James Watt's mechanical horsepower is 745.7 watts. The two are only 1.4 percent apart, which is why they're so easy to mix up.

PS to hp

hp = PS × 0.98632

hp to PS

PS = hp × 1.01387

1 PS
735.5 W = 0.9863 hp = 0.7355 kW
1 hp or bhp
745.7 W = 1.0139 PS = 0.7457 kW
CV, ch, pk
Italian, French and Dutch names for the same metric horsepower.
Shortcut
Take away 1.4 percent: 500 PS is about 493 hp.

Worked example: a Porsche 911 GT3 rated at 510 PS × 0.98632 = 503 hp. Porsche quotes 502 hp for the US car.

PS to hp chart (50 to 1,500 PS)

From city cars to hypercars, with kilowatts, the figure European registration papers use.

PS to hp and kW conversion chart
PShpkWTypical of
50 PS49.3 hp36.8 kWSmall cars and motorcycles
75 PS74.0 hp55.2 kWSmall cars and motorcycles
90 PS88.8 hp66.2 kWSmall cars and motorcycles
100 PS98.6 hp73.5 kWSmall cars and motorcycles
110 PS108.5 hp80.9 kWCompact and family cars
120 PS118.4 hp88.3 kWCompact and family cars
130 PS128.2 hp95.6 kWCompact and family cars
150 PS147.9 hp110.3 kWCompact and family cars
170 PS167.7 hp125.0 kWCompact and family cars
190 PS187.4 hp139.7 kWHot hatches and family SUVs
200 PS197.3 hp147.1 kWHot hatches and family SUVs
220 PS217.0 hp161.8 kWHot hatches and family SUVs
250 PS246.6 hp183.9 kWHot hatches and family SUVs
265 PS261.4 hp194.9 kWHot hatches and family SUVs
300 PS295.9 hp220.6 kWSports cars and fast sedans
333 PS328.4 hp244.9 kWSports cars and fast sedans
350 PS345.2 hp257.4 kWSports cars and fast sedans
400 PS394.5 hp294.2 kWSports cars and fast sedans
450 PS443.8 hp331.0 kWPerformance cars
500 PS493.2 hp367.7 kWPerformance cars
530 PS522.7 hp389.8 kWPerformance cars
600 PS591.8 hp441.3 kWPerformance cars
680 PS670.7 hp500.1 kWSupercars
700 PS690.4 hp514.8 kWSupercars
800 PS789.1 hp588.4 kWSupercars
1,000 PS986.3 hp735.5 kWSupercars
1,500 PS1,479.5 hp1,103.2 kWHypercars

Real cars in PS and hp

European makers quote PS and kW; the same cars in the US are rated in hp. Usually the US figure is simply the converted number, give or take rounding. Sometimes it isn't, because the US car has a different tune.

European PS ratings compared with US hp ratings
CarEuropean ratingConvertedUS rating
Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk8.5)Volkswagen · US rating265 PS (195 kW)261 hp241 hp
Volkswagen Golf R (Mk8.5)Volkswagen · US rating333 PS (245 kW)328 hp328 hp
Porsche 911 Carrera (992.2)Porsche · US rating394 PS (290 kW)389 hp388 hp
Audi RS 3 (facelift)Audi · US rating400 PS (294 kW)395 hp394 hp
Porsche 911 GT3 (992.2)Porsche · US rating510 PS (375 kW)503 hp502 hp
BMW M3 Competition xDrive (2025)BMW · US rating530 PS (390 kW)523 hp523 hp
Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PerformanceMercedes-Benz · US rating680 PS (500 kW)671 hp671 hp
Ferrari 296 GTBFerrari · US rating830 PS (610 kW)819 hp819 hp
Bugatti ChironBugatti · US rating1,500 PS (1,103 kW)1,479 hp1,479 hp

The Golf GTI is the odd one out: 265 PS converts to 261 hp, but the US car is rated at 241 hp because Volkswagen sells a lower-output version there. When a US and a European figure don't match after converting, a different tune is the usual reason. Ratings checked 29 September 2026.

PS vs hp vs bhp vs kW

PS (and CV, ch)

Metric horsepower, 735.5 W. The traditional figure in German, Italian and French brochures, usually printed next to kW.

hp

Mechanical horsepower, 745.7 W. What US and Canadian makers quote, measured at the crankshaft.

bhp

Brake horsepower: the same 745.7 W unit, measured at the crankshaft. UK magazines use it. "bhp to hp" needs no conversion.

kW

The SI unit and the legal figure in Europe. Convert it with the kW to hp converter.

Wheel horsepower (whp) is a different measurement, taken at the tires after drivetrain losses. See WHP vs BHP vs HP for how the numbers relate.

Sources and method

One PS is 735.49875 W and one hp is 745.69987 W, so 1 PS = 0.98632 hp. Car ratings in the table come from the manufacturers' own press material.

Updated September 2026. Built and checked by the 0-60calc Team. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will check it against the source.

More calculators

Other power conversions, and what the number means on the road.

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    Turn a dyno's wheel horsepower into crank horsepower and see the drivetrain loss.

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    Horsepower from torque and rpm, a time slip or a 0-60 time, in hp, kW and PS.

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    Estimate horsepower from engine displacement, or the cc you need for a power target.

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  • Quarter Mile Calculator

    1/4 and 1/8 mile ET and trap speed, or horsepower from a time slip.

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Questions people ask

How do I convert PS to hp?

Multiply PS by 0.9863. For example, 300 PS × 0.9863 = 295.9 hp. In your head, knock off about 1.4 percent.

Is PS the same as hp?

Almost. PS is metric horsepower, 735.5 watts, while a mechanical horsepower is 745.7 watts. So 1 PS is 0.986 hp, and a figure in PS is always slightly higher than the same power in hp.

How do I convert bhp to hp?

There is nothing to convert: bhp and hp use the same 745.7-watt unit, and both are measured at the crankshaft on modern cars. 250 bhp is 250 hp, or 253.5 PS.

What do CV, ch and pk mean?

They are metric horsepower too: cavalli vapore in Italian, chevaux in French and paardenkracht in Dutch. Convert them exactly like PS.

How do I convert PS to kW?

Multiply PS by 0.7355. A 300 PS engine makes 220.6 kW. European spec sheets usually print both figures.

Why is the US version of a car rated differently from Europe?

Sometimes it's only the unit, and converting PS to hp gives the US figure. Sometimes the US car has a different engine tune: Volkswagen's Golf GTI is 265 PS in Europe but 241 hp in the US.