kW to Metric Horsepower (PS / KM / KS) Converter
Convert kilowatts to metric horsepower — the unit written PS in Germany, KM in Poland, KS in Czechia and Croatia, pk in the Netherlands and cv in France.
If you have searched "kW na KM", "kW to KS" or "kilowaty na konie mechaniczne", this is the conversion you want. All of those phrases mean the same thing: kilowatts into metric horsepower, the unit most of continental Europe uses for engine power.
PS, KM, KS, pk, cv, hk — All the Same Unit
Metric horsepower has a different abbreviation in almost every European country, which is why the same conversion appears under so many different search terms. They are not different units. Every one of them is defined as exactly 75 kilogram-force metres per second, or 735.49875 watts.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| PS | Pferdestärke | Germany, Austria, Switzerland |
| KM | Koń mechaniczny | Poland |
| KS | Konjska snaga | Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia |
| pk | Paardenkracht | Netherlands, Belgium |
| cv | Cheval vapeur / cavallo vapore | France, Italy, Spain, Portugal |
| hk | Hästkrafter / hestekrefter | Sweden, Norway, Denmark |
| LE | Lóerő | Hungary |
Why Metric HP Is Not the Same as Mechanical HP
This is the detail most converters skip, and it is the reason two spec sheets for the same car can quote slightly different horsepower figures.
- Mechanical horsepower (also called imperial or brake horsepower) is 550 foot-pounds per second = 745.6999 W. Used in the UK and US.
- Metric horsepower (PS, KM, KS) is 75 kilogram-force metres per second = 735.4988 W. Used across continental Europe and in Japan.
Metric horsepower is therefore about 1.4% smaller. A car rated at 150 PS in Germany is roughly 148 hp in the UK — same engine, same power, different yardstick. On a 500 PS supercar the gap widens to about 7 hp, which is enough to start arguments in comment sections.
kW to PS Conversion Chart
Common engine outputs, with mechanical horsepower shown alongside so you can see the 1.4% divergence in practice.
| kW | PS / KM / KS | Mechanical HP | Typical car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 48 | 47 | City car |
| 55 | 75 | 74 | Small hatchback |
| 70 | 95 | 94 | Compact petrol |
| 85 | 116 | 114 | Family diesel |
| 110 | 150 | 148 | Mid-size turbo |
| 130 | 177 | 174 | Warm hatch |
| 150 | 204 | 201 | Executive saloon |
| 200 | 272 | 268 | Performance saloon |
| 220 | 299 | 295 | Hot hatch flagship |
| 300 | 408 | 402 | Sports car |
Why Your Registration Document Shows kW
Across the EU, vehicle registration papers are legally required to state engine power in kilowatts, because kW is the SI unit. PS survives in brochures, badges and everyday conversation because it is what buyers are used to — which is exactly why so many people need to convert between the two.
Insurance and vehicle tax bands in several countries are calculated from the kW figure rather than the PS figure, so if you are checking a tax bracket, work from the number on the registration document rather than the one on the boot lid.
Converting to Other Power Units
For mechanical horsepower rather than metric, use our kW to HP calculator, and HP to kW for the reverse. If you need to move between PS and mechanical HP directly, the HP to PS converter handles that, and the horsepower unit converter covers every unit at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
One kilowatt equals 1.3596 PS. Metric horsepower is written PS in Germany, KM in Poland and KS in Czechia and Croatia — all the same unit.
110 kW is about 150 KM (metric horsepower). In mechanical horsepower that is roughly 148 hp.
Not exactly. PS is 735.49875 W; mechanical HP is 745.699872 W. PS is about 1.4% smaller, so 150 PS ≈ 148 mechanical hp.
KM stands for koń mechaniczny, Polish for metric horsepower. Identical to PS and KS — and nothing to do with kilometres.
Multiply kilowatts by 1.3596. So 85 kW × 1.3596 ≈ 116 KM. To reverse it, multiply KM by 0.7355.
EU rules require kW on registration documents because it is the SI unit. PS stays on badges because buyers recognise it. Tax and insurance bands often use the kW value.
Yes. KS (konjska snaga), KM (Polish) and PS (German) are all metric horsepower at 735.49875 W.