In a car, PS is a metric unit that measures an engine's power output, essentially telling you how strong the engine is. It stands for Pferdestärke, a German word meaning "horse strength." One PS is roughly equivalent to 98.6% of one horsepower (HP), the unit more commonly used in the United States. For practical purposes, when you see a car's power listed as 150 PS, you can think of it as being approximately 148 horsepower. It's a key figure you'll find in manufacturer specifications, directly relating to the car's acceleration and overall performance capabilities.
The term is most frequently used in European and Asian markets. When you're comparing cars, a higher PS (or HP) generally means faster acceleration. However, it's not the only factor; a car's weight (power-to-weight ratio) and transmission also play huge roles. A lightweight sports car with 200 PS will feel much quicker than a heavy SUV with the same power rating.
It's also important to distinguish PS from torque, which is measured in Newton-meters (Nm). While PS (power) reflects the engine's top-end speed and ability to sustain high speeds, torque is the twisting force that determines low-end pulling power, like how quickly a car can accelerate from a stop. For daily driving, a healthy amount of torque often feels more responsive in city traffic.
Here’s a quick comparison of common power units:
| Power Unit | Full Name | Equivalent to 1 HP | Common Usage |
|---|
| HP (SAE) | Horsepower | 1.000 | United States, UK |
| PS (metric) | Pferdestärke | 0.9863 | Germany, Japan, Europe |
| kW | Kilowatt | 1.341 | Scientific contexts, EVs |
| CV | Cheval-vapeur | 0.9863 | France, Italy (same as PS) |
| BHP | Brake Horsepower | ~1.000 (measured differently) | UK, for engine power before losses |
Ultimately, when you're looking at car specs, PS, HP, and kW are just different languages for describing the same thing: engine power. For a quick mental conversion in the U.S., you can slightly lower the PS number to get a ballpark HP figure.
