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Horsepower to metric horsepower

Multiply horsepower by 1.0139 to get metric horsepower.

1 hp = 1.0139 PSNIST SP 811
hp
202.7739PS

200 hp = 202.7739 PS

How to convert horsepower to metric horsepower

The metric horsepower is metric horsepower (PS/CV), about 735.50 watts — slightly less than mechanical hp. The horsepower is mechanical (imperial) horsepower, about 745.70 watts.

Worked example — 200 hp: 200 × 1.0139 = 202.7739 PS.

Horsepower to metric horsepower table

Common conversions.
HorsepowerMetric horsepower
1 hp1.0139 PS
50 hp50.6935 PS
100 hp101.387 PS
150 hp152.0804 PS
200 hp202.7739 PS
250 hp253.4674 PS
300 hp304.1609 PS
400 hp405.5479 PS
500 hp506.9348 PS

Reverse and related

About horsepower and metric horsepower

Horsepower (hp)

1 hp = 1.0139 PS

Definition. Mechanical (imperial) horsepower, about 745.70 watts

History and origin

Horsepower was coined by James Watt in the 1780s to compare his steam engines to the draught horses they replaced, based on the work a horse could do. Mechanical horsepower is about 745.7 watts.

Current use

Horsepower rates car and engine power in the United States and United Kingdom.

Source: NIST SP 811, App. B (power). Mechanical hp = 550 ft·lbf/s ≈ 745.70 W; metric hp (PS) = 75 kgf·m/s = 735.49875 W

Metric horsepower (PS)

1 PS = 0.98632 hp

Definition. Metric horsepower (PS/CV), about 735.50 watts — slightly less than mechanical hp

History and origin

Metric horsepower, also called PS or CV, was defined in continental Europe as the power to raise 75 kilograms by one metre in one second, about 735.5 watts. It is slightly less than mechanical horsepower.

Current use

Metric horsepower is used to state car engine power in Europe and Japan.

Source: NIST SP 811, App. B (power). Mechanical hp = 550 ft·lbf/s ≈ 745.70 W; metric hp (PS) = 75 kgf·m/s = 735.49875 W

Where people use this

Horsepower: car and engine power in the US/UK. Metric horsepower: car power in Europe and Japan. 1 mechanical hp is about 1.014 metric hp (PS).

How we know this is right
The factor is fixed by the standards that define the units, not chosen — so it is exact, not a measurement:
1 PS = 0.9863200706 hp, so 1 hp = 1 ÷ 0.9863200706 = 1.0139 PS.

Every value is carried to full double precision; the display is rounded.

Both units are defined in NIST SP 811, App. B (power). Mechanical hp = 550 ft·lbf/s ≈ 745.70 W; metric hp (PS) = 75 kgf·m/s = 735.49875 W.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between hp and PS?

Mechanical horsepower is about 745.7 W; metric hp (PS) is 735.5 W, so 1 hp is about 1.014 PS.

How many PS is 100 hp?

100 hp is about 101.4 PS.

Are hp and PS the same?

Nearly — PS is about 1.4% smaller, so figures in PS read a little higher than in hp.

All horsepower conversions