The brochure says 150 kW, the registration certificate says much less: many electric car owners are puzzled by this difference. It is not a mistake. Electric cars have two power figures, and only one of them goes on the registration certificate.
Two numbers for one motor
Peak power (also maximum power or maximum net power) is the highest power the drive can deliver – but only for a short time, for example when accelerating. This is the number used in brochures and listings.
The maximum 30-minute power is the power the electric drive can deliver continuously for half an hour. Both values are measured under the same international standard, UN Regulation No. 85, which explicitly distinguishes between net power and the maximum 30-minute power of electric drive trains.
What the registration certificate shows
According to the guide of the German Federal Motor Transport Authority on filling in the registration certificate, field P.2 of an electric vehicle contains the maximum 30-minute power. So the certificate shows the continuous power, the brochure the peak power.
An example with round numbers: an electric car is advertised with 150 kW, which is 203.94 PS or about 204 PS. Field P.2 of its certificate, however, might say 70 kW, i.e. 95.17 PS. Both figures are correct – they simply describe different things. How large the gap is depends on the model.
Why electric motors can briefly deliver more
An electric motor can deliver much more power for a few seconds than it can handle continuously. Continuous power is limited mainly by heat: motor, power electronics and battery warm up under load, and the cooling system can only remove a certain amount of heat permanently. Short peak power is enough for overtaking or pulling away at the lights; for a long uphill drive at high speed, continuous power matters more.
And combustion cars and hybrids?
For combustion engines, field P.2 shows the rated power, i.e. the maximum net power of the engine at the rated engine speed from field P.4. Brochure and certificate usually match, apart from rounding in the PS figure.
For hybrid vehicles, P.2 contains the power of the main drive. The system power advertised for hybrids can be higher, because the combustion engine and electric motor work together.
What this means for you
- Compare like with like: the peak power of an electric car from the brochure can be compared with the rated power of a combustion car. The 30-minute power from the electric car's certificate is not suitable for that.
- Converting to PS: the same formula applies to both values, PS = kW ÷ 0.73549875. Enter the number in the kW to PS and hp calculator to see PS and hp instantly.
- German vehicle tax: power plays no role. Battery electric cars first registered by the end of 2030 are exempt from vehicle tax for ten years, at most until the end of 2035 (section 3d of the Motor Vehicle Tax Act). After that the tax is based on the permissible total weight. Details in the vehicle tax calculator.
- Keep an eye on costs: what an electric car costs over the years compared with a combustion car is worked out by the EV cost calculator.
Summary
- Peak power: available briefly, quoted in the brochure.
- Maximum 30-minute power: available continuously, shown in field P.2 of an electric car's registration certificate.
- Both figures are correct; a lower kW value on the certificate is not a mistake.
As of October 2026. Sources: guide of the Federal Motor Transport Authority on filling in the registration certificate, UN Regulation No. 85, section 3d of the Motor Vehicle Tax Act.