HP - PS Converter

Online calculator and formulas for converting HP and PS

HP - PS Calculator

Convert power units

Converts between Pferdestärke (PS) and Horsepower (HP). Both are power units with a small difference between metric and imperial systems.

HP
PS
Result
Conversion:

Example Calculation

Example: Vehicle engine
Problem:

A European car has an engine power of 150 PS. How much HP does this correspond to for the American market?

Given:
  • Engine power = 150 PS
  • Conversion factor: 1 PS = 0.9863 HP
  • Find: Power in HP
Solution:
\[\text{HP} = \text{PS} \times 0.9863\]
\[\text{HP} = 150 \times 0.9863\]
\[\text{HP} = 147.945 \text{ HP}\]
Practical applications
Automotive industry: Engine power for different markets
Mechanical engineering: Industrial motors, pumps, compressors
Marine industry: Boat drives, ship engines
Differences PS vs HP
PS (Pferdestärke)
  • • Metric system
  • • Europe, Germany
  • • 1 PS = 735.5 Watts
HP (Horsepower)
  • • Imperial system
  • • USA, Great Britain
  • • 1 HP = 745.7 Watts

Formulas for PS and HP conversion

PS (Pferdestärke) and HP (Horsepower) are both power units, but there is a small difference between them due to different measurement systems.

Convert PS to HP

Conversion from metric horsepower to imperial horsepower.

\[\displaystyle \text{HP} = \text{PS} \times 0.9863\]
1 PS equals approximately 0.9863 HP
Convert HP to PS

Conversion from imperial horsepower to metric horsepower.

\[\displaystyle \text{PS} = \text{HP} \times 1.01387\]
1 HP equals approximately 1.01387 PS
PS (Pferdestärke)
  • System: Metric system
  • Usage: Europe, Germany, automotive industry
  • Definition: 1 PS = 735.5 Watts
  • Basis: Force of a horse to lift 75 kg by 1 m in 1 s
HP (Horsepower)
  • System: Imperial system
  • Usage: USA, Great Britain
  • Definition: 1 HP = 745.7 Watts
  • Basis: James Watt definition (33,000 ft·lbf/min)
Important notes
  • PS is approximately 1.4% weaker than HP
  • In practice, the difference is negligible for most applications
  • Both units are now largely replaced by Kilowatts (kW)
  • 1 kW = 1.36 PS = 1.34 HP (rounded)

Detailed description of power units

Historical Development

With this calculator you can convert Pferdestärke (PS) to Horsepower (HP) or Horsepower to Pferdestärke. Both units emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries to compare the power of steam engines with the work performance of horses.

Usage Instructions

To calculate, select whether HP should be converted to PS or PS to HP, enter the desired value and then click the "Calculate" button.

Application Areas

Automotive Industry

Engine power for different international markets. Europe uses PS, USA uses HP.

Mechanical Engineering

Industrial motors, pumps, compressors, generators. International specifications often require conversions.

Marine and Aviation

Boat drives, aircraft engines, ship engines. Important for international certifications and comparisons.

Practical examples

The differences between PS and HP are often small in practice, but important for precise specifications or international standards:

Compact car (75 PS)

75 PS ≈ 74.0 HP
Difference: only 1 HP
Negligible in practice

Sports car (400 PS)

400 PS ≈ 394.5 HP
Difference: 5.5 HP
Relevant for power specifications

Truck engine (500 PS)

500 PS ≈ 493.2 HP
Difference: 6.8 HP
Important for specifications

Conclusion: At higher powers, the absolute difference becomes larger, but it remains constant at about 1.4% proportionally.


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