Question 1

How do I convert kW to PS?

Accepted Answer

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%.

Question 2

How do I convert PS to kW?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

How many PS are 110, 150, 74 or 100 kW?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

Where is the power listed on the German registration certificate?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

Why is power stated in kW rather than PS?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 6

What is the difference between PS and hp?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

Why does an electric car's certificate show fewer kW than the brochure?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 8

How many kW may a motorcycle have with an A1 or A2 licence?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 9

Does German vehicle tax depend on kW or PS?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 10

How many PS are 9.6 kW and 11 kW?

Accepted Answer

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.

Guide: kW to HP Calculator

Reading the German Registration Certificate: Where Is the Power, and Why in kW?

Motorcycle Licence A1, A2, A: Which kW Limits Apply in Germany?

Electric Car Power: Rated Power vs. Peak Power

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