Metric Horsepower (PS) to Mechanical Horsepower (hp) Converter
Enter a value to instantly convert between power units.
1 Horsepower (metric) = 0.9863 Horsepower (mech)
Key Formulas
Kilowatt → Horsepower (mech)
hp = kW × 1.34102Horsepower (mech) → Kilowatt
kW = hp × 0.7457Watt → Kilowatt
kW = W × 0.001Kilowatt → Watt
W = kW × 1000Formula
hp = PS × 0.986320European car specs in PS and US car specs in hp aren't directly comparable without conversion — they differ by 1.4%. A BMW M3 at 431 PS = 425.2 hp (not 431 hp), which is how the same car gets listed differently on US and European press releases. This conversion matters for performance comparisons, import documentation, and racing regulations that specify power limits in a particular unit.
Source: NIST SP 811, Table B.8
Last reviewed: · see our methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
Real-World Examples
A 100 PS European car = 98.6 hp — the US spec sheet would list this as 98 or 99 hp, not 100 hp.
100 PS = 98.6 hp
A 200 PS European sports car = 197.3 hp in US spec — the 2.7 hp difference isn't felt on the road but appears in official documents.
200 PS = 197.3 hp
A 431 PS BMW M3 = 425.2 hp in US specification — both figures appear in global automotive press for the same car.
431 PS = 425.2 hp
A 1,000 PS hypercar = 986.3 hp — falling just short of the '1,000 hp' benchmark that has become an industry milestone in mechanical hp.
1000 PS = 986.3 hp