Last updated: Jul 13, 2024

GVWR Calculator

Q: Can GVWR be negative?

No , GVWR can never be negative. This is because the tare weight of a vehicle and the rated weight of the vehicle cannot be negative.

Q: What is the truck's GVWR if its tare weight and rated payload is 1000 kg?

The GVWR of the truck will be 2000 kg . You calculate this result by adding up the tare weight and the rated payload of the truck.

Created by Wei Bin Loo

Wei Bin Loo

A strategy consultant graduated from Imperial College London with abundant experience advising companies on analytics strategy and transformation projects. Having passed his CFA Level 2 with his results ranked above the 90th percentile, he possesses a broad expertise in the finance and investment space. He is also passionate about product management and is currently a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO). He is a Harry Potter fanatic and a chess and basketball enthusiast. See full profile

Check our editorial policy

Reviewed by Steven Wooding

Steven Wooding

Physicist holding a 1st class degree and a member of the Institute of Physics. Creator of the UK vaccine queue calculator, and featured in many publications, including The Sun, Daily Mail, Express, and Independent. Tenacious in researching answers to questions and has an affection for coding. Hobbies include cycling, walking, and birdwatching. You can find him on Twitter @OmniSteve. See full profile

Check our editorial policy

New

Table of contents

What is gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)?How to calculate GVWR FAQs

With this GVWR calculator, we aim to help you to calculate the safe weight of your vehicle. The gross vehicle weight rating enables you to understand how much weight your vehicle can safely carry. You might also find the car center of mass calculator and, more generally, the center of mass calculator helpful in understanding more about this topic.

We have written this article to help you understand the following:

What the gross vehicle weight rating is; and
How to calculate the GVWR.

We will also demonstrate some practical examples to help you understand the concept.

What is gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)?

The gross weight vehicle rating (GVWR) is a measure to calculate the safe weight a vehicle can carry. It is defined as the sum of the vehicle's tare weight and the rated payload.

It is essential to understand this metric, particularly if you are operating a vehicle regularly. It allows you to understand how much weight you can load onto your vehicle. You will also be able to calculate the ideal weight of your vehicle.

After this, let's now learn about how to calculate the gross vehicle weight rating.

How to calculate GVWR

Now that you understand the GVWR definition, let's look into the gross weight vehicle rating calculation. To understand the GVWR calculation, let's take the truck with the information below as an example:

Vehicle type: Truck.
Tare weight: 1,000 kg.
Rated payload: 500 kg.

You can calculate the GVWR of the truck and trailer in three steps:

Determine the tare weight.

The first step is to determine the tare weight of the vehicle. Tare weight is defined as the official weight of a vehicle when it is empty.

In our example, the tare weight of the truck is 1,000 kg.

To understand more about measuring weight in different units, please check out our weight converter.
Determine the rated payload.

Next, you need to determine the rated payload of the vehicle. The rated payload is the amount of weight that the vehicle has onboard.

Thus, the truck's rated payload is 500 kg.
Calculate the GVWR

The last step is to calculate the GVWR of the truck using the formula below:

GVWR = tare weight + rated payload

Hence, the GVWR of the truck is 1,000 kg + 500 kg = 1,500 kg.

FAQs

Can GVWR be negative?

No, GVWR can never be negative. This is because the tare weight of a vehicle and the rated weight of the vehicle cannot be negative.

How to calculate GVWR of a truck and trailer?

You can calculate the GVWR of a truck and trailer in three steps:

Determine the tare weight.
Determine the rated payload.
Add the tare weight to the rated payload weight:

GVWR = tare weight + rated payload

What is the truck's GVWR if its tare weight and rated payload is 1000 kg?

The GVWR of the truck will be 2000 kg. You calculate this result by adding up the tare weight and the rated payload of the truck.

What is tare weight and rated payload?

The tare weight is the weight of the vehicle when it is empty, and the rated payload is the amount of weight the vehicle can safely carry.

Related calculators

Audiobook Speed Calculator