What Is kPa? Kilopascal Explained

5 min read•June 1, 2026•Reviewed: June 1, 2026

✓Reviewed by Apex Conversion Editorial Team · Last reviewed June 1, 2026

kPa stands for kilopascal — the metric (SI) unit of pressure used in most countries outside the United States. Weather forecasts, tire pressure specs on metric vehicles, medical equipment readings, and scientific instruments all use kPa or related units. One kilopascal equals 1,000 pascals (the SI base unit of pressure), and approximately 0.145 PSI.

Understanding kPa is essential if you work with metric specifications, drive a vehicle manufactured outside the US, or follow a barometric pressure forecast in a metric country. The conversion between kPa and PSI is straightforward: multiply PSI by 6.895 to get kPa, or divide kPa by 6.895 to get PSI.

Definition: Pascal and Kilopascal

The pascal (Pa) is the SI derived unit of pressure, defined as 1 newton per square meter (N/m²). Because one pascal is a very small unit — normal atmospheric pressure is 101,325 Pa — practical use favors kilopascals (kPa = 1,000 Pa) for most engineering and everyday applications. For higher-pressure industrial work, megapascals (MPa = 1,000,000 Pa) are common.

One standard atmosphere = 101.325 kPa = 14.696 PSI = 1.01325 bar. Weather services use hectopascals (hPa = 100 Pa) for barometric pressure — you may see '1013 hPa' on a weather map, which is exactly 1 atm. The hPa is numerically equal to the millibar (mbar), which was the older standard.

kPa Conversion Formulas

kPa → PSI:  PSI = kPa ÷ 6.89476
PSI → kPa:  kPa = PSI × 6.89476
kPa → bar:  bar = kPa ÷ 100
bar → kPa:  kPa = bar × 100
kPa → atm:  atm = kPa ÷ 101.325
atm → kPa:  kPa = atm × 101.325

Common tire pressure in kPa:
  210 kPa = 30.5 PSI = 2.10 bar
  240 kPa = 34.8 PSI = 2.40 bar

Where You Encounter kPa

Tire pressure in metric countries is specified in kPa. A European, Australian, or Asian vehicle door-jamb sticker will show recommended tire inflation in kPa (typically 200–250 kPa for passenger cars). Most modern vehicles sold globally print both PSI and kPa on the door jamb. Weather barometric pressure is reported in hPa, which is numerically the same as mbar: standard sea-level pressure ≈ 1013 hPa.

Medical measurements increasingly use kPa alongside the traditional mmHg for blood pressure. Oxygen partial pressure in blood gas analysis uses kPa in international medical literature. Structural engineering uses MPa and kPa for material strength and load specifications. Food safety standards for vacuum packaging specify pressure in kPa. Automotive fuel system pressure is often given in kPa in service manuals from metric countries.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many PSI is 200 kPa?

200 kPa ÷ 6.89476 = 29.0 PSI. This is at the low end of a normal car tire pressure range. Most passenger cars recommend 200–240 kPa (29–35 PSI).

What is normal blood pressure in kPa?

A typical normal blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg converts to approximately 16.0/10.7 kPa. The conversion: 1 mmHg = 0.133322 kPa. Medical devices in many countries display both mmHg and kPa.

Is kPa the same as bar?

No. 1 bar = 100 kPa exactly. So kPa and bar are simply related by a factor of 100 — 1 bar = 100 kPa, 2.5 bar = 250 kPa. Bar is used in European industry and scuba; kPa is the strict SI unit and is more common in scientific and medical contexts.

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