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Important information about vehicle weights

As every vehicle is only permitted to be driven up to the maximum weight specified by the manufacturer, weight-related information is particularly important when purchasing a motorhome or campervan. This is especially important when selecting optional packs and special equipment fitted at the factory. The maximum permitted weight for road use must never be exceeded when the vehicle is being driven.

The information below is intended to help you configure your vehicle and to explain the legal requirements relating to vehicle weights. Please read this information carefully before starting your vehicle configuration and contact your dealer if you have any questions.

1. Technically permissible overall weight

The technically permissible overall weight in a laden state can be found in the technical data for our motorhomes and campervans, as well as in the configurator. This figure is the maximum overall weight specified by the manufacturer and must not be exceeded when the vehicle is being driven.

In many European countries, including Germany, fines may be issued if this weight is exceeded. As the driver is responsible for ensuring that the vehicle complies with the technically permissible overall weight, we recommend checking the vehicle before every journey and weighing it before setting off.

2. Weight in ready-to-drive condition

The weight in ready-to-drive condition is the unladen weight of the standard vehicle, as specified by the manufacturer. It includes:

• the weight of the body, driver’s cab, tow hitch, spare wheels and tools,
  • the fresh water tank filled to 100% in the driving position, with reduced water volume,
  • a 100% full aluminium gas bottle with a weight of 16 kg,
  • a fuel tank filled to 90%, including the fuel,
  • the weight of the driver, calculated at a standard value of 75 kg.

Information on the weight in ready-to-drive condition can also be found in the technical data for our motorhomes and campervans, as well as in our configurator.

It is important to note that the weight in ready-to-drive condition is a value calculated during the type approval process and is subject to legally permitted tolerances of up to +/- 5%.

As these tolerances affect the remaining payload of the individual vehicle, they must be taken into account when configuring the vehicle and selecting optional packs and special equipment.

Example: the technical data for your chosen floor plan states a weight in ready-to-drive condition of 2,910 kg. This calculated value is subject to legally permitted tolerances of +/- 5%, which equals +/- 146 kg. The weight in ready-to-drive condition of the individual vehicle may therefore range from 2,764 kg to 3,056 kg.

We also show these legally permitted tolerances in the technical data for our motorhomes and campervans and in our configurator. They appear in brackets after the type-approved value.

3. Passenger weight

Passenger weight is calculated based on the number of seat-belted seats specified by the manufacturer. A standard value of 75 kg is used for each seat. However, the weight of the driver, which is already included in the weight in ready-to-drive condition, must be deducted.

For example, in a vehicle with four seat-belted seats, the passenger weight is 225 kg, calculated as 3 x 75 kg.

The number of seat-belted seats can be found in the technical data for our motorhomes and campervans, as well as in our configurator. Please note that these figures represent the maximum possible number of seat-belted seats for the standard version of the relevant floor plan.

The number of seat-belted seats may be reduced by the selection of optional packs and special equipment. In some cases, selecting certain options may require the vehicle’s load capacity to be increased.

4. Actual vehicle weight, optional packs and special equipment

The actual weight of the vehicle is the weight of the vehicle in ready-to-drive condition plus the weight of any optional packs or special equipment fitted at the factory. This figure is listed under point 13.2 of the Certificate of Conformity, also known as the CoC.

This figure does not include any special equipment, accessories or other items added by a dealer or by you after the vehicle has left the factory.

Please note that the actual vehicle weight is also a calculated value. It may differ from the actual weight of your individual vehicle due to the legally permitted tolerances that apply to the weight in ready-to-drive condition.

Information on the weight of optional packs and special equipment available ex works for our motorhomes and campervans can be found in our configurator.

5. Payload and minimum payload

The payload is the maximum load that a vehicle can carry. It is calculated by subtracting the following from the technically permissible overall weight:

• the weight in ready-to-drive condition,
  • the weight of the passengers,
  • the weight of any optional packs and special equipment fitted ex works.

Example:

Technically permissible overall weight: 3,500 kg
Weight in ready-to-drive condition: – 2,910 kg
Passenger weight: – 225 kg, calculated as 3 x 75 kg
Weight of optional packs / special equipment: – 100 kg

Payload = 265 kg

The fitting of optional packs and special equipment will always reduce the available payload. The maximum weight available for optional packs and special equipment for each floor plan is shown separately in the technical data for our motorhomes and campervans and in our configurator.

For motorhomes and campervans classified as Class M1 vehicles, the law requires compliance with a minimum payload. This is the minimum load that the vehicle must be able to carry. The minimum payload must not be undercut either during vehicle configuration or during production.

For our motorhomes and campervans, the minimum payload is calculated using the following formula:

Minimum payload in kg ≥ 10 x (n + L)

Where “n” is the maximum number of seat-belted seats, including the driver, and “L” is the total length of the vehicle in metres.

Example: for a motorhome with four seat-belted seats and a length of 7 metres, the minimum payload is 110 kg, calculated as 10 x (4 + 7).

It is important to note that legally permitted tolerances in the weight in ready-to-drive condition can either increase or reduce the payload of the individual vehicle.

Example, using the same figures as above:

Technically permissible overall weight: 3,500 kg
Weight in ready-to-drive condition, with a 4% increase: – 3,026.4 kg
Passenger weight: – 225 kg, calculated as 3 x 75 kg
Weight of optional packs / special equipment: – 100 kg

Payload = 148.6 kg

To prevent these tolerances from causing the vehicle to fall below the legally required minimum payload, we limit the maximum weight available for optional packs and special equipment at manufacturer level. This limit is based on actual tolerances known from previous production.

Information about this can be found in the technical data for our motorhomes and campervans, as well as in our configurator. This data also takes into account special equipment features for country-specific variants and special models that are not part of the standard equipment.

If the selected configuration exceeds the manufacturer’s upper weight limit for optional packs and special equipment, you will only be able to continue configuring the vehicle if you deselect optional packs, special equipment or seat-belted seats, or if you choose to increase the vehicle’s load capacity. Otherwise, it will not be possible to configure or order the selected vehicle.

In exceptional cases, despite restrictions on the weight of optional packs and special equipment, weighing the vehicle at the end of the production line may show that the legally required minimum payload has not been met due to legally permitted tolerances. In such cases, we will not release the vehicle until compliance with the minimum payload has been ensured. This may require the removal of optional packs, special equipment or seat-belted seats, or an increase in the vehicle’s load capacity.