Lotus · Excel · kPa
Lotus Excel kPa inflation table
- Drivetrain
- rear-wheel drive
- Body
- passenger car
- PSI F / R
- 32-35 / 32-35
- Bar F / R
- 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4
kPa
231 / 231
2.31 / 2.31 bar · 32-35 / 32-35 psi
32-35 psi F · 32-35 psi R · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar · 231/231 kPa
If your gauge only speaks kPa, aim near 231 / 231 for this Excel, then fine-tune to the placard. A 10 °C overnight drop takes roughly 1 psi (0.07 bar) off a closed Lotus tyre.
kPa, bar and PSI
kPa-led conversions. 220 kPa is 2.2 bar and about 32 psi — handy if this Excel sticker uses SI units.
| kPa | Bar | PSI |
|---|---|---|
| 207 | 2.07 | 30 |
| 221 | 2.21 | 32 |
| 228 | 2.28 | 33 |
| 231 | 2.31 | 33.5 |
| 241 | 2.41 | 35 |
| 248 | 2.48 | 36 |
| 262 | 2.62 | 38 |
| 276 | 2.76 | 40 |
| 303 | 3.03 | 44 |
| 345 | 3.45 | 50 |
| 414 | 4.14 | 60 |
Estimated pressure by tyre size (185/65R15 and others)
185/65R15 is the first planning size here. 195/65R15 is usually the plus-size or LT step. Keep load index at or above original equipment.
| Tyre size | Front PSI | Rear PSI | Front bar | Rear bar | Front kPa | Rear kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 185/65R15 | 33 | 33 | 2.28 | 2.28 | 228 | 228 | Small / older car |
| 215/50R17 | 35 | 35 | 2.41 | 2.41 | 241 | 241 | Plus-size 17-inch |
| 195/65R15 | 34 | 34 | 2.34 | 2.34 | 234 | 234 | Very common compact |
| 225/50R17 | 35 | 35 | 2.41 | 2.41 | 241 | 241 | Touring 17-inch |
| 245/40R18 | 36 | 36 | 2.48 | 2.48 | 248 | 248 | Wide touring 18-inch |
| 225/45R17 | 35 | 35 | 2.41 | 2.41 | 241 | 241 | Sport 17-inch |
| 215/55R16 | 34 | 35 | 2.34 | 2.41 | 234 | 241 | Slightly wider 16-inch |
| 225/40R18 | 36 | 36 | 2.48 | 2.48 | 248 | 248 | Low-profile 18-inch |
Lotus Excel placard versus sidewall
The tyre-information placard on a Lotus Excel sits on the driver’s door pillar (sometimes the fuel-filler flap). Catalogue figures here are a general band: 32-35 / 32-35 psi.
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this Excel.
| Ambient | Gauge (front mid) | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 31 psi | 2.14 bar | 214 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 32 psi | 2.21 bar | 221 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Baseline |
| 30 °C | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Do not bleed a hot tyre |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Do not bleed a hot tyre |
How to set the Excel
- Park the Lotus Excel for at least three hours (cold tyres).
- Use a calibrated gauge, not the only meter on a forecourt hose.
- Set the placard for that axle — about 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar front and 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar rear on this catalogue row.
- Recheck all four. A 2 psi miss on a rear-wheel drive Excel is enough to feel a pull.
- Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.
Load notes
Load moves the rear of a passenger car first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only | 34 psi / 2.34 bar | 34 psi / 2.34 bar |
| Full occupancy | 34 psi / 2.34 bar | 35 psi / 2.41 bar |
| Motorway + luggage | 35 psi / 2.41 bar | 36 psi / 2.48 bar |
Lotus notes
No special Lotus exception: the Excel uses the door-pillar placard. Size estimates on this page only help if you have left the original load index behind.
Spare and inflator kit
A matching full-size spare on the Lotus Excel usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 32-35 psi). A space-saver is commonly 60 psi / 4.1 bar — read that tyre’s own sidewall. An inflator kit is not a spare; check the sealant date.
If the Lotus sticker and this page disagree, the sticker wins.
Other Lotus models
Questions about this Excel
Front versus rear on the Lotus Excel?
This row is 32-35 F / 32-35 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.
What PSI if I plus-size toward 195/65R15?
Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 185/65R15, 215/50R17 and 195/65R15 as a planning band.
Is the sidewall number correct on a Lotus Excel?
No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The Excel placard is the operating target, near 32-35/32-35 psi.
Should I bleed pressure after a motorway run?
No. Heat raises the gauge. Set cold only. Bleeding a hot tyre leaves it low the next morning.
What is that in bar and kPa for the Excel?
Mid-points are about 2.31 bar (231 kPa) front and 2.31 bar (231 kPa) rear.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation