Watts (W) to Metric horsepower (PS) Conversion
Watts
The watt (W) is the SI derived unit of power, defined as one joule per second (J/s = kg·m²·s⁻³), representing the rate of energy transfer or conversion. Named after Scottish engineer James Watt, whose steam engine improvements launched the Industrial Revolution, the watt is the coherent unit for all forms of power — mechanical, electrical, thermal, and acoustic. A human at rest produces about 80 W of thermal power; a professional cyclist sustains approximately 400 W during a race; a lightning bolt peaks at around 10¹² W for microseconds.
Metric horsepower
Metric horsepower (PS, from German Pferdestärke; CV in French, Spanish, and Portuguese) is a unit of power equal to exactly 735.49875 watts — approximately 1.4% less than the US mechanical horsepower (745.7 W). It is the standard for vehicle engine power ratings in continental Europe, and appears in EU type approval certificates. A car rated at 200 PS produces 147.1 kW, while a car rated at 200 US hp produces 149.1 kW — a distinction that matters in precise international performance comparisons.
| Watts (W) | Metric horsepower (PS) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 W | 0.00013596216173039 PS |
| 1 W | 0.0013596216173039 PS |
| 2 W | 0.0027192432346078 PS |
| 3 W | 0.0040788648519117 PS |
| 5 W | 0.0067981080865195 PS |
| 10 W | 0.013596216173039 PS |
| 20 W | 0.027192432346078 PS |
| 30 W | 0.040788648519117 PS |
| 50 W | 0.067981080865195 PS |
| 100 W | 0.13596216173039 PS |
| 1000 W | 1.3596216173039 PS |