What is the difference between payload and gross weight?

A goods vehicle is legally limited to a gross weight, the total weight allowed on the wheels. The amount of weight that a vehicle can carry (its payload) is therefore the gross weight LESS the unladen weight of the vehicle. This is why a 3.5t box van with a larger loadspace actually carries less weight than a 3.5t MWB or LWB panel van equivalent.

Acrobat refers to all vehicles on its fleet by their gross weight.