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American horsepower usually means mechanical horsepower (hp); the European figure often labeled PS is metric horsepower. They are close, but not identical: 200 PS is about 197.3 mechanical hp. Convert through kilowatts for a clear comparison, and check the rating method separately—unit conversion alone does not establish which engine makes more power.
What does “American” or “European” horsepower mean?
“American horsepower” and “European horsepower” are informal labels, not a guarantee of a particular engine test. In many U.S. specifications, hp means mechanical horsepower. A European specification may use PS, short for the German Pferdestärke, or kilowatts (kW). PS is metric horsepower; it is a different unit from mechanical hp.
A 1915 U.S. Bureau of Standards circular described English horsepower as 550 foot-pounds per second, conventionally 746 watts, and continental horsepower as 75 kilogram-meters per second, rounded to 736 watts. The circular’s historical account should not be read as a current survey of every country’s conventions. The essential distinction remains: identify the unit printed beside the figure rather than inferring it from a vehicle’s origin.
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Mechanical horsepower is approximately 0.7457 kW, while metric horsepower (PS) is approximately 0.7355 kW. The metric value follows from the 75 kilogram-meter-per-second definition; the Bureau’s circular rounded it to 736 watts. Since that historical source rounds its watt figures, the ratios below are approximate.
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- 1 mechanical hp ≈ 1.014 PS.
- 1 PS ≈ 0.986 mechanical hp.
That is a difference of about 1.4% between the units. It is a conversion difference, not evidence that an engine is stronger or weaker.
How do you convert PS to horsepower?
For the most transparent calculation, convert the rating to kilowatts first. The NHTSA-hosted 2010 Federal Register proposal states the mechanical-horsepower conversion as 550 ft·lbf/s = 0.7457 kW.
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| Conversion | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Mechanical hp to kW | hp × 0.7457 |
| PS to kW | PS × approximately 0.7355 |
| PS to mechanical hp | PS × approximately 0.986 |
| Mechanical hp to PS | hp × approximately 1.014 |
Example: 200 PS in mechanical horsepower
- Convert PS to kW: 200 × 0.7355 = 147.1 kW.
- Convert kW to mechanical hp: 147.1 ÷ 0.7457 ≈ 197.3 hp.
Rounded conversions can yield slightly different displayed results. For a quick estimate, multiply PS by 0.986; for a result that is easier to verify, use the two-step kW calculation.
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Why can two horsepower figures differ by more than 1.4%?
The unit and the measurement procedure are separate issues. Even after converting PS and hp to the same unit, two ratings may not be directly comparable if they refer to different engine versions, markets, or rating bases. A figure may also describe engine output or a different measurement, such as power at the wheels.
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SAE International’s J2723 page describes procedures for certifying production-engine net power and torque under SAE J1349, or gross engine power under SAE J1995. SAE says certification is voluntary, but the process is mandatory for manufacturers advertising ratings as certified to either standard. That distinction does not establish a universal test method for all European or American vehicles.
If a pair of specifications differs by more than the unit conversion can explain, check these details before attributing the gap to “American versus European horsepower”:
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- The stated unit: hp, PS, or kW.
- The exact model, engine, and market version.
- The test or certification basis, if the manufacturer states one.
- Whether the number is engine output or a different measurement, such as wheel power.
Which unit should you use to compare cars?
Use kilowatts as the common unit where possible. The Bureau of Standards recommended watts and kilowatts for power measurement in its 1915 circular, reflecting that these units avoid confusion between horsepower definitions. If a specification lists only PS or hp, convert it to kW using the factors above, then compare like with like: same kind of power measurement and sufficiently clear model and rating basis.
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Do not assume all European manufacturers publish only PS, that every U.S. rating uses an identical protocol, or that a converted figure resolves differences in how vehicles were rated. The unit answers how to express power; it does not, by itself, explain how the published power figure was obtained.
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