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About

In automotive maintenance and hydraulic engineering, the Bar is a metric unit of pressure that, while not SI, is legally accepted in the EU and widely used for tire pressure, compressed air systems, and fluid power. Mechanics often encounter gauges calibrated in Kilopascals (kPa) on newer equipment while service manuals specify values in Bar.

This tool provides a rapid, accurate translation between the two. The conversion logic is based on the decimal shift, as 1 bar is defined as exactly 100,000 Pascals (100 kPa). Speed and readability are prioritized here for field use.

automotive tire pressure hydraulics bar kpa

Formulas

The conversion is a simple power-of-ten shift:

Pbar = PkPa100

There are exactly 100 kPa in 1 bar.

Reference Data

Vehicle / SystemPressure (kPa)Pressure (bar)Pressure (PSI approx)
Road Bike Tire600 - 8006.0 - 8.085 - 115
Passenger Car (Standard)210 - 2302.1 - 2.330 - 33
Passenger Car (Load)2502.536
Light Truck / SUV280 - 3502.8 - 3.540 - 50
Heavy Truck700 - 9007.0 - 9.0100 - 130
Forklift (Solid Tire)900 - 10009.0 - 10.0130 - 145
Shop Air Compressor600 - 8006.0 - 8.090 - 120
Hydraulic Return Line5005.072

Frequently Asked Questions

Commonly, yes. 2.2 bar (220 kPa) is a frequent specification for front tires on sedans, though you must always check the specific placard on the driver's door jamb.
The Pascal is a very small unit. Atmospheric pressure is over 100,000 Pascals. The Bar is convenient because it is close to 1 Atmosphere, making numbers manageable (2.5 vs 250,000).