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Convert kW to PS and hp

Kilowatts to horsepower (hp) and metric horsepower (PS) and back – with exact factors, a table from 1 to 500 kW and an explanation of the German registration certificate.

100% freeExact factors, not a rule of thumbNo data stored

In short

  • 1 kW = 1.34102 hp = 1.35962 PS
  • 1 hp = 0.7457 kW · 1 PS = 0.73549875 kW
  • Rule of thumb: kW × 1.34 ≈ hp, kW × 1.36 ≈ PS
  • Example: 110 kW = 147.5 hp = 149.6 PS

Enter power

Input in
kW

Frequently searched

100 kW equals

134.1hp

≈ 134 hp – rounded to a whole number, as in spec sheets

In all units

kilowatt

100.00 kW

metric horsepower

135.96 PS

horsepower

134.10 hp

watt

100,000 W

How it is calculated

Php=PkW0.74569987=1000.74569987=134.10 hp\begin{aligned} P_{\text{hp}} &= \dfrac{P_{\text{kW}}}{0.74569987} \\ &= \dfrac{100}{0.74569987} = 134.10\ \text{hp} \end{aligned}
PPS=PkW0.73549875=1000.73549875=135.96 PS\begin{aligned} P_{\text{PS}} &= \dfrac{P_{\text{kW}}}{0.73549875} \\ &= \dfrac{100}{0.73549875} = 135.96\ \text{PS} \end{aligned}
1 PS=75 kgf⋅ms=735.49875 W1\ \text{PS} = 75\ \tfrac{\text{kgf}\cdot\text{m}}{\text{s}} = 735.49875\ \text{W}

Mental arithmetic: kW × 1.36 ≈ PS and kW × 1.34 ≈ hp. The rule of thumb is off by less than 0.1%.

If it is a motorcycle: which licence (Germany)?

Above 35 kW: a motorcycle with this power requires full class A.

Applies to motorcycles under section 6 FeV. Cars (class B) have no power limit.

kW to PS – conversion table

All values calculated exactly with 1 PS = 0.73549875 kW: 1 to 20 kW in 1 kW steps, 25 to 500 kW in 5 kW steps, plus frequently searched values such as 9.6, 59, 74, 77, 92 and 103 kW.

0.25–92 kW

kWPS≈ PShp
0.25 kWpedelec limit0.3400.34
1 kW1.3611.34
2 kW2.7232.68
3 kW4.0844.02
4 kWAM (electric)5.4455.36
5 kW6.8076.71
6 kW8.1688.05
7 kW9.52109.39
8 kW10.881110.73
9 kW12.241212.07
9.6 kW13.051312.87
10 kW13.601413.41
11 kWA1 limit14.961514.75
12 kW16.321616.09
13 kW17.681817.43
14 kW19.031918.77
15 kW20.392020.12
16 kW21.752221.46
17 kW23.112322.80
18 kW24.472424.14
19 kW25.832625.48
20 kW27.192726.82
25 kW33.993433.53
30 kW40.794140.23
35 kWA2 limit47.594846.94
40 kW54.385453.64
44 kW59.826059.00
45 kW61.186160.35
50 kW67.986867.05
55 kW74.787573.76
59 kW80.228079.12
60 kW81.588280.46
65 kW88.388887.17
66 kW89.749088.51
70 kWA2: max. unrestricted power95.179593.87
74 kW100.6110199.24
75 kW101.97102100.58
77 kW104.69105103.26
80 kW108.77109107.28
81 kW110.13110108.62
85 kW115.57116113.99
90 kW122.37122120.69
92 kW125.09125123.37

95–295 kW

kWPS≈ PShp
95 kW129.16129127.40
96 kW130.52131128.74
100 kW135.96136134.10
103 kW140.04140138.13
105 kW142.76143140.81
110 kW149.56150147.51
115 kW156.36156154.22
120 kW163.15163160.92
125 kW169.95170167.63
130 kW176.75177174.33
135 kW183.55184181.04
140 kW190.35190187.74
145 kW197.15197194.45
150 kW203.94204201.15
155 kW210.74211207.86
160 kW217.54218214.56
165 kW224.34224221.27
170 kW231.14231227.97
175 kW237.93238234.68
180 kW244.73245241.38
185 kW251.53252248.09
190 kW258.33258254.79
195 kW265.13265261.50
200 kW271.92272268.20
205 kW278.72279274.91
210 kW285.52286281.61
215 kW292.32292288.32
220 kW299.12299295.02
225 kW305.91306301.73
230 kW312.71313308.44
235 kW319.51320315.14
240 kW326.31326321.85
245 kW333.11333328.55
250 kW339.91340335.26
255 kW346.70347341.96
260 kW353.50354348.67
265 kW360.30360355.37
270 kW367.10367362.08
275 kW373.90374368.78
280 kW380.69381375.49
285 kW387.49387382.19
290 kW394.29394388.90
295 kW401.09401395.60

300–500 kW

kWPS≈ PShp
300 kW407.89408402.31
305 kW414.68415409.01
310 kW421.48421415.72
315 kW428.28428422.42
320 kW435.08435429.13
325 kW441.88442435.83
330 kW448.68449442.54
335 kW455.47455449.24
340 kW462.27462455.95
345 kW469.07469462.65
350 kW475.87476469.36
355 kW482.67483476.06
360 kW489.46489482.77
365 kW496.26496489.47
370 kW503.06503496.18
375 kW509.86510502.88
380 kW516.66517509.59
385 kW523.45523516.29
390 kW530.25530523.00
395 kW537.05537529.70
400 kW543.85544536.41
405 kW550.65551543.11
410 kW557.44557549.82
415 kW564.24564556.52
420 kW571.04571563.23
425 kW577.84578569.93
430 kW584.64585576.64
435 kW591.44591583.34
440 kW598.23598590.05
445 kW605.03605596.75
450 kW611.83612603.46
455 kW618.63619610.17
460 kW625.43625616.87
465 kW632.22632623.58
470 kW639.02639630.28
475 kW645.82646636.99
480 kW652.62653643.69
485 kW659.42659650.40
490 kW666.21666657.10
495 kW673.01673663.81
500 kW679.81680670.51

As of: 26 Oct 2026

PS to kW – conversion table

Common PS ratings from brochures and listings converted to kW. The rounded kW value is the number you will find in field P.2 of the German registration certificate.

PSkW≈ kW (P.2)hp
75 PS55.165573.97
90 PS66.196688.77
100 PS73.557498.63
110 PS80.9081108.50
116 PS85.3285114.41
131 PS96.3596129.21
150 PS110.32110147.95
190 PS139.74140187.40
245 PS180.20180241.65

As of: 26 Oct 2026

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kW, PS and the German registration certificate

Where is the power on the registration certificate?

On the German registration certificate part I (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I, formerly Fahrzeugschein) the power is in field P.2 – always in kilowatts, as rated power. After the slash comes the rated engine speed from field P.4 in revolutions per minute, for example “110/5500”. There is no PS figure on the certificate. The engine displacement is in field P.1.

Why kW and not PS?

Germany's Units and Time Act requires quantities in official and commercial use to be stated in legal units. The Units Ordinance sets the watt – including the kilowatt – as the unit of power. Since 1978 the metric horsepower (PS) has no longer been a legal unit. It is still allowed as a supplementary indication next to kW, which is why listings often read “110 kW (150 PS)”.

Where does the odd factor come from?

1 PS is the power needed to lift 75 kg by one metre in one second: 75 kgf·m/s. With standard gravity of 9.80665 m/s² that is exactly 735.49875 W. The imperial horsepower is defined as 550 ft·lbf/s, i.e. 745.7 W, about 1.4% more than one PS.

Electric cars: continuous power instead of peak power

For electric cars, field P.2 shows the maximum 30-minute power – the power the drive can sustain for half an hour (measured under UN Regulation No. 85). The advertised peak power is often much higher, so a smaller number on the certificate is not a mistake.

German vehicle tax: kW plays no role

German vehicle tax does not depend on kW or PS. For cars first registered from 1 July 2009 it is based on displacement and CO₂ emissions, for older cars on displacement and emission class, for motorcycles on displacement (section 8 KraftStG). Battery electric cars first registered by the end of 2030 are tax-free for ten years, at most until the end of 2035 (section 3d KraftStG).

Go to the vehicle tax calculator

German licence classes by power

ClassPowerOther conditionsMinimum age
Pedelec (no licence)≤ 0.25 kW (0.34 PS)assistance only up to 25 km/h–
AM≤ 4 kW (5.4 PS) if electric≤ 45 km/h; combustion ≤ 50 cm³15 (valid only in Germany until 16)
A1≤ 11 kW (15.0 PS)≤ 125 cm³, ≤ 0.1 kW/kg16
A2≤ 35 kW (47.6 PS)≤ 0.2 kW/kg, not derived from more than 70 kW18
Aunlimited–24 (20 after 2 years of A2)
B (car)unlimitedpermissible total mass ≤ 3,500 kg18 (accompanied from 17)

Sources

As of: 26 Oct 2026

Guide: kW, PS and Vehicle Papers

Where the power is listed, which kW your licence allows and what electric cars really deliver

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Frequently Asked Questions

Divide the kilowatts by 0.73549875 – or multiply them by 1.35962. Example: 110 kW ÷ 0.73549875 = 149.56 PS, rounded 150 PS. For mental arithmetic the rule of thumb kW × 1.36 is off by less than 0.1%.

Multiply the PS by 0.73549875. Example: 150 PS × 0.73549875 = 110.32 kW. The German registration certificate shows whole numbers, so 110 kW here. Rule of thumb: PS × 0.735 ≈ kW.

110 kW = 149.56 PS (≈ 150 PS), 150 kW = 203.94 PS (≈ 204 PS), 74 kW = 100.61 PS (≈ 101 PS), 100 kW = 135.96 PS (≈ 136 PS), 120 kW = 163.15 PS, 103 kW = 140.04 PS, 90 kW = 122.37 PS, 75 kW = 101.97 PS, 59 kW = 80.22 PS. All values from 1 to 500 kW are in the table on this page.

In field P.2 of the registration certificate part I, always in kilowatts. After the slash comes the rated engine speed from field P.4, e.g. “110/5500” for 110 kW at 5,500 rpm. The certificate does not contain a PS figure.

Germany's Units and Time Act requires legal units in official and commercial use, and the Units Ordinance sets the watt as the unit of power. The metric horsepower has not been a legal unit since 1978. It may still be given as a supplementary indication next to kW.

PS is the metric horsepower of 735.49875 W (75 kgf·m/s). hp is the imperial horsepower of 550 ft·lbf/s = 745.7 W. One hp is therefore about 1.4% larger than one PS: 100 hp = 101.39 PS = 74.57 kW.

For electric cars, field P.2 contains the maximum 30-minute power, i.e. the power the drive can sustain for half an hour. Brochures usually quote the peak power, which is only available briefly. Both figures are correct; they simply describe different things.

Class A1: at most 11 kW (15 PS), up to 125 cm³ and at most 0.1 kW per kg. Class A2: at most 35 kW (47.6 PS) and 0.2 kW per kg; the bike must not be derived from a model with more than 70 kW. More power requires class A.

No. For cars first registered from 1 July 2009, displacement and CO₂ emissions count, for older cars displacement and emission class, for motorcycles displacement. Battery electric cars first registered by the end of 2030 are tax-free for ten years, at most until the end of 2035.

9.6 kW are 13.05 PS, rounded 13 PS. 11 kW are 14.96 PS, rounded 15 PS – which is also the power limit of licence class A1.