When we look into the Owner’s manual of any vehicle in any segment (I know many of us rarely do) we will be confused to see 2 different weights of the same car. These weights will be under the names of Curb(Kerb) weight and Gross weight. Now, this might not be the most important parameter of the car but it is not something we can ignore as well. Well, then what is the difference between Curb weight vs Gross weight in vehicles.
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Curb (Kerb) Weight
The curb weight of your car is the weight of the vehicle minus the passengers, luggage and accessories and what remains is the standard fitment that it comes with from the manufacturer. This includes a full tank of fuel and is measured when the vehicle is not being used and resting on the curb(flat surface). This is usually the standard weight that a manufacturer assigns to the vehicle.
Gross Weight
The gross weight of a vehicle is the total weight of all passengers, accessories, luggage, and additional load like trailers etc. This is particularly important to note for people who cross bridges or flyovers that have a maximum weight limit and also important for people who are curious to know how much load their vehicle can actually withstand.
Difference between Curb (Kerb) Weight vs Gross Weight?
The difference between them is the Payload capacity of your car. When you subtract the curb weight from the gross weight, what you get is the weight of objects that your vehicle can transport\pull. This Payload includes your passengers, weight of accessories including your alloy wheels, infotainment system, spoilers etc. and also the luggage you carry. For an average person, this influences your fuel efficiency, driving manners, wear and tear of parts (although not by much, it does matter) and for others, especially truck drivers, it keeps a check on how much load the vehicle can haul.
