Kerb weight, also known as curb weight in American English, is the total mass of a vehicle with standard equipment and all necessary operating consumables such as motor oil, transmission oil, brake fluid, coolant, air conditioning refrigerant, and sometimes a full tank of fuel, while not loaded with either passengers or cargo. It is the weight of the vehicle when it is resting on a flat surface and not being used. Kerb weight includes the fluids needed for operation, such as coolant, brake fluid, oil, transmission fluid, and a 90% full fuel tank.
The gross vehicle weight, on the other hand, is the weight of the vehicle with everything in it, such as passengers, luggage, and other cargo. It includes the maximum payload of passengers and cargo. The difference between kerb weight and gross vehicle weight is the payload capacity of the vehicle.
It is important to note that the definition of kerb weight may differ from definitions used by governmental regulatory agencies or other organizations. For example, many European Union manufacturers include the weight of a 75-kilogram driver and luggage to follow European Directive 95/48/EC. Organizations may also define kerb weight with fixed levels of fuel and other variables to equalize the value for the comparison of different vehicles.
Knowing the kerb weight of a vehicle is important for various reasons, such as determining the maximum weight limit of bridges or flyovers, understanding how much load a vehicle can withstand, and calculating fuel efficiency.
