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Aberdeenshire motoring statistics

How many cars and electric cars are registered in Aberdeenshire, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Aberdeenshire compares with Scotland. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.

Last updated
Records analysed
200,092 licensed vehicles in Aberdeenshire
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 147,548 0.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 533 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 5,657 3.8% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.3% 145th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 428 162 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.3% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Aberdeenshire?

There were 147,548 licensed cars in Aberdeenshire at the end of June 2026, and 200,092 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 9.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 533 for every 1,000 residents, 96th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Aberdeenshire

Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.

Licensed cars and vehicles in Aberdeenshire at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 172,272134,530
2011 174,750136,199
2012 177,174138,263
2013 181,459141,342
2014 186,099144,657
2015 187,568145,218
2016 187,907144,499
2017 190,250145,381
2018 191,019145,683
2019 192,690146,430
2020 189,815144,336
2021 193,474145,362
2022 194,415145,118
2023 196,374145,896
2024 198,556147,293
2025 199,478147,561
2026 200,092147,548

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Licensed vehicles by type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Cars per 1,000 residents

All licensed cars at the end of June, divided by the ONS mid-year population. Company fleets registered locally push this up.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, Aberdeenshire compared
Year AberdeenshireScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 537429–
2012 541430–
2013 548436–
2014 554443–
2015 552446473
2016 549450480
2017 553457488
2018 556461490
2019 559465493
2020 552462489
2021 552469493
2022 550466489
2023 551465489
2024 556468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Aberdeenshire

52.2% of cars in Aberdeenshire run on petrol and 32.3% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 48.9% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.7%, and cars that plug in 6.0%.

Cars by fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Fuel mix over time

Share of licensed cars at the end of March each year.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in Aberdeenshire, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 61.9%37.8%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 59.8%39.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 57.9%41.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 55.8%43.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 54.0%45.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 52.2%47.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 51.1%48.4%0.3%0.1%0.1%
2017 50.4%48.9%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 50.1%48.9%0.5%0.1%0.2%
2019 50.6%48.3%0.7%0.2%0.2%
2020 50.8%47.7%0.8%0.3%0.3%
2021 51.4%46.0%1.4%0.6%0.4%
2022 51.9%43.8%2.2%1.0%0.6%
2023 52.5%41.6%3.1%1.5%0.8%
2024 52.9%38.6%4.6%2.1%1.1%
2025 52.9%35.4%6.6%2.8%1.5%
2026 52.2%32.3%8.7%3.8%2.2%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Aberdeenshire

5,657 battery electric cars were licensed in Aberdeenshire at the end of June 2026, 3.8% of all cars, 177th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 8,875 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 4,102.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.3% are battery electric (4,719 cars), 15th highest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 16.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.3% of its cars overall. There are also 196 battery electric vans.

Battery electric share of licensed cars

End of March each year. Fleet re-registrations can move a single area’s line sharply.

Battery electric share of licensed cars, Aberdeenshire compared, end of March each year
Year AberdeenshireScotlandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.3%0.4%
2021 0.6%0.7%0.8%
2022 1.0%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.5%1.9%2.3%
2024 2.1%2.5%3.2%
2025 2.8%3.4%4.4%
2026 3.8%4.5%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Aberdeenshire

There were 428 public chargers in Aberdeenshire on 1 July 2026, 118 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 162 for every 100,000 residents, 137th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 4.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 17.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Aberdeenshire (UK 12.9), 173rd most of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.

Public chargers

Public EV chargers in Aberdeenshire by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 411103
Apr 2026 388106
Jul 2026 428118

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Aberdeenshire compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Aberdeenshire 16245
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in Aberdeenshire

Vehicles travelled an estimated 2,059 million miles on roads in Aberdeenshire in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Aberdeenshire
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,390
1994 1,440
1995 1,468
1996 1,506
1997 1,537
1998 1,552
1999 1,567
2000 1,520
2001 1,535
2002 1,625
2003 1,658
2004 1,613
2005 1,619
2006 1,692
2007 1,693
2008 1,679
2009 1,652
2010 1,676
2011 1,660
2012 1,686
2013 1,704
2014 1,779
2015 1,816
2016 1,898
2017 2,012
2018 1,926
2019 2,008
2020 1,557
2021 1,772
2022 1,923
2023 1,975
2024 1,996
2025 2,059

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Aberdeenshire, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 14093
2022 14388
2023 14383
2024 15394
2025 12383

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Aberdeenshire

Unleaded petrol averages 171.4p a litre across 39 filling stations in Aberdeenshire, 0.1p below the UK average. Diesel averages 199.0p, 0.3p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Costco Wholesale Aberdeen Westhill, Aberdeen 162.9p
  2. Shell K&A Anderson Alford 165.9p
  3. BP Westhill Service Station Ltd Westhill 165.9p

Every filling station and price in Aberdeenshire

Roadworks in Aberdeenshire

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 1,197 sets of roadworks in Aberdeenshire, of which 245 are under way and 952 are planned. 517 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. Aberdeenshire Council is behind the most, 410 of them (34.3%). From the extract of 30 October 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • C35k B9077 Near Kincluny To Park Bridge, Durris

    Road closed Under way, until 31 Dec 2026 Aberdeenshire Council

    Identification, during routine inspection work, of critical structural element deterioration and consequential weakening of the bridge structure

  • C67m C43m At Milltown Of Towie To A97 At Glenkindie Branch Via Towie School To C43m

    Road closed Under way, until 15 Jun 2030 Aberdeenshire Council

    Emergency closure due to bridge deterioration.

  • Bridgeview Road, Aboyne

    Road closed Under way, until 31 Dec 2027 Aberdeenshire Council

    B968 Aboyne Bridge - bridge closed due to deck failure. Investigations ongoing.

  • U115k Branch Road To B967 At Townhead, Arbuthnott

    Road closed Under way, until 30 Oct 2026 Aberdeenshire Council

    U115K Whitefield Bridge, Arbuthnott - Bridge closed, structurally compromised beyond repair.

  • C80b C77b At Waterside To U80b Northeast Of Ashallow, Hatton

    Road closed Under way, until 30 Oct 2026 Aberdeenshire Council

    C80B Bishops Bridge - Bridge closed as an emergency 24/01/2022.

  • U98b A948 At Burngrains To C112b At Hill Of Northseat, Auchnagatt

    Road closed Under way, until 6 Nov 2026 Aberdeenshire Council

    U98B Ebrie Lodge - emergency closure due to damaged parapet

  • U106b A950 At Saplinbrae To B9029 At Bridgend, Mintlaw

    Road closed Under way, until 26 Jun 2027 Aberdeenshire Council

    Emergency closure due to bridge damage

  • U237c C35c At Reivesley Via Kilblean To A920 At Boudiestone, Oldmeldrum

    Road closed Under way, until 15 Nov 2026 Aberdeenshire Council

    Road closure in place due to damage to road surface following storm

  • A92 King Street Inverbervie To C23k South Of Harbourshields

    Lane closed Under way, until 24 Dec 2026 Aberdeenshire Council

    A92 Inverbervie Bridge - Installation of single lane traffic on bridge.

  • B979 From Awpr Stonehaven Junction To U88k At Fishemyre, Ury

    Road closed Under way, until 1 Nov 2026 Scottish Water

    Lay repair main (open cut)

Who is digging

  • Aberdeenshire Council 410
  • BT 327
  • Gofibre Holdings Limited 217
  • Scottish Water 91
  • SGN 65

How traffic is managed

  • Road closed 503
  • Temporary traffic lights 273
  • Give and take 212
  • No obstruction 57
  • Footway only 45

The register publishes one extract a day, so works can start, finish or change after it is taken. Roadworks across Scotland.

Source:SRWR Extract of 2026-10-30 Updated

How Aberdeenshire compares

Aberdeenshire compared with Scotland, the UK
Aberdeenshire 533 3.8% 3.3% 4.3% 162 17.8
Scotland 439 4.5% 3.3% 7.8% 232 9.7
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

Private cars per 1,000 people use the ONS mid-2024 population. Chargers are counted at the latest date; plug-in cars at the end of June 2026.

Driving test centres in Aberdeenshire

There are 5 DVSA car practical test centres in Aberdeenshire, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 64.0% at Fraserburgh.

Other centres in Scotland:

DVSA publishes pass rates by centre name, with no address, so centres are placed here by the place name in the name DVSA uses. See pass rates at every test centre.

Councils in Scotland

Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 471 14.8% 4.5% 32.2% 511 6.0
Renfrewshire 439 12.8% 3.5% 34.8% 243 10.1
East Renfrewshire 475 5.5% 4.9% 4.3% 82 43.0
East Dunbartonshire 482 5.1% 4.5% 4.0% 103 32.4
West Lothian 481 4.9% 4.3% 5.6% 137 21.7
East Lothian 476 4.8% 4.4% 4.4% 600 5.1
Edinburgh 326 4.5% 3.6% 5.2% 192 9.7
Midlothian 465 4.5% 4.1% 5.1% 223 12.7
Orkney Islands 496 4.5% 4.0% 5.2% 386 7.3
South Lanarkshire 465 4.5% 3.9% 6.2% 182 15.3
Perth and Kinross 510 4.4% 3.9% 5.1% 363 8.3
Dundee 373 4.1% 3.2% 6.6% 472 3.7
North Lanarkshire 436 4.0% 3.4% 7.2% 168 13.7
Falkirk 495 3.9% 3.3% 5.4% 163 15.2
Fife 481 3.9% 3.4% 4.8% 132 18.2
South Ayrshire 483 3.9% 3.4% 5.1% 205 12.2
Aberdeenshire 533 3.8% 3.3% 4.3% 162 17.8
East Ayrshire 469 3.6% 3.1% 6.0% 229 9.6
Glasgow 309 3.5% 2.4% 9.6% 180 6.8
North Ayrshire 458 3.5% 3.0% 5.9% 199 10.6
Angus 507 3.4% 3.0% 4.7% 221 10.7
Clackmannanshire 496 3.4% 3.0% 4.9% 205 10.9
Aberdeen 399 3.3% 2.8% 4.4% 192 10.2
Scottish Borders 510 3.2% 2.9% 4.8% 224 10.4
Inverclyde 426 2.9% 2.5% 5.6% 237 7.5
West Dunbartonshire 421 2.9% 2.4% 6.7% 204 8.3
Argyll and Bute 474 2.8% 2.4% 4.7% 396 5.1
Highland 500 2.8% 2.3% 5.0% 387 5.0
Moray 507 2.8% 2.3% 4.5% 153 13.3
Dumfries and Galloway 514 2.4% 2.0% 5.7% 549 3.2
Shetland Islands 476 2.2% 1.7% 9.1% 323 4.3
Na h-Eileanan Siar 507 1.6% 1.3% 4.2% 515 2.4

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 200,092 licensed vehicles in Aberdeenshire 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 9,160 plug-in vehicles 26 October 2026
Public chargers Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics Department for Transport 1 July 2026 121,171 public chargers (UK) 26 October 2026
Population Mid-year population estimates Office for National Statistics Mid-2024 404 areas 26 October 2026
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Aberdeenshire run from the end of 2009.
  • Vehicles are counted at the registered keeper’s postcode: for company cars that is the company’s address, not where the car is driven.
  • Battery electric and plug-in counts come from table VEH0142; petrol, diesel and hybrid counts from VEH0105. “Other fuels” is VEH0105’s other-fuel count less plug-in cars.
  • Charger counts are based on Zapmap data and are official statistics in development. In June 2026 one operator removed about 1,270 private chargers wrongly listed as public, so April and July are not strictly comparable.
How we calculate these figures All data sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.