East of England · District council

Basildon motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
123,399 licensed vehicles in Basildon
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 101,221 0.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 461 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 3,936 3.9% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.5% 90th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 120 62 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 11.9% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Basildon?

There were 101,221 licensed cars in Basildon at the end of June 2026, and 123,399 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 24.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 461 for every 1,000 residents, 126th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Basildon

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Basildon at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 97,13981,350
2011 97,84581,830
2012 98,02882,412
2013 99,98684,168
2014 102,61286,062
2015 104,75587,481
2016 106,61789,008
2017 108,62490,439
2018 109,15290,932
2019 110,78292,028
2020 117,81198,819
2021 119,11798,688
2022 120,05499,111
2023 120,99099,638
2024 122,617101,097
2025 122,977101,248
2026 123,399101,221

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, Basildon compared
Year BasildonEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 468503–
2012 467502–
2013 470505–
2014 475524–
2015 479529473
2016 482537480
2017 488544488
2018 487542490
2019 490541493
2020 526536489
2021 526539493
2022 525532489
2023 521529489
2024 522531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Basildon

57.1% of cars in Basildon run on petrol and 22.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.8% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 11.2%, and cars that plug in 8.7%.

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 Basildon, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 77.8%21.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 76.3%23.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 74.7%24.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 73.1%26.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 71.5%28.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 69.7%29.7%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 67.9%31.3%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 66.6%32.4%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 65.6%33.2%0.8%0.1%0.2%
2019 65.0%33.5%1.0%0.1%0.2%
2020 63.2%34.8%1.1%0.3%0.5%
2021 63.1%33.7%1.7%0.5%0.9%
2022 62.3%32.2%2.9%1.0%1.5%
2023 62.5%29.1%4.4%1.5%2.2%
2024 59.8%26.3%8.6%2.1%3.0%
2025 58.3%24.3%10.1%2.9%4.1%
2026 57.1%22.7%11.2%3.9%4.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Basildon

3,936 battery electric cars were licensed in Basildon at the end of June 2026, 3.9% of all cars, 170th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 8,788 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,890.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.5% are battery electric (2,207 cars), 11th lowest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 43.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 11.9% of its cars overall. There are also 313 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, Basildon compared, end of March each year
Year BasildonEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.5%0.8%0.8%
2022 1.0%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.5%1.9%2.3%
2024 2.1%2.9%3.2%
2025 2.9%4.1%4.4%
2026 3.9%5.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Basildon

There were 120 public chargers in Basildon on 1 July 2026, 51 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 62 for every 100,000 residents, 23rd lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 23.7% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 34.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Basildon (UK 12.9), 25th 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 Basildon by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 9749
Apr 2026 10751
Jul 2026 12051

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Basildon compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Basildon 6226
Essex 9045
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Basildon has 22 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.6%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Basildon with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Basildon 001 4,344 157 3.6% 6.4%
Basildon 004 4,700 166 3.5% 6.3%
Basildon 021 5,232 177 3.4% 5.9%
Basildon 009 4,839 136 2.8% 5.9%
Basildon 003 4,487 122 2.7% 5.6%
Basildon 020 5,085 133 2.6% 4.9%
Basildon 002 4,191 105 2.5% 4.7%
Basildon 012 5,038 126 2.5% 4.0%
Basildon 014 5,248 130 2.5% 4.7%
Basildon 008 5,833 132 2.3% 3.9%
Lowest electric shares
Basildon 013 3,144 16 0.5% 1.9%
Basildon 015 3,873 45 1.2% 2.7%
Basildon 018 3,932 51 1.3% 3.4%
Basildon 017 4,000 50 1.3% 3.3%
Basildon 019 3,531 50 1.4% 2.8%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in Basildon

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Basildon, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 20365
2022 19251
2023 22762
2024 27373
2025 25277

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Basildon

Unleaded petrol averages 170.6p a litre across 10 filling stations in Basildon, 0.9p below the UK average. Diesel averages 197.0p, 1.7p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

How Basildon compares

Basildon compared with Essex, the East of England, England, the UK
Basildon 461 3.9% 2.5% 11.9% 62 34.8
Essex 511 3.7% 2.9% 6.0% 90 28.6
East of England 501 5.6% 3.2% 8.7% 150 17.3
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
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 Basildon

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Basildon, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 49.1% at Basildon.

Other centres in Essex:

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 Essex

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

Councils in Essex
Uttlesford 593 4.8% 4.2% 12.0% 164 24.4
Epping Forest 499 4.4% 3.6% 5.3% 126 25.2
Brentwood 501 4.2% 3.2% 4.9% 97 33.0
Chelmsford 504 4.0% 3.3% 4.8% 105 27.0
Basildon 461 3.9% 2.5% 11.9% 62 34.8
Colchester 474 3.6% 2.9% 4.6% 90 24.5
Maldon 605 3.5% 2.9% 3.6% 61 49.5
Rochford 554 3.3% 2.9% 4.0% 76 36.3
Braintree 537 3.2% 2.7% 4.1% 89 27.3
Harlow 444 3.2% 2.5% 4.6% 74 25.7
Tendring 513 2.8% 2.2% 4.8% 84 21.7
Castle Point 534 2.7% 2.2% 3.8% 42 51.7

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 123,399 licensed vehicles in Basildon 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 9,457 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
Neighbourhoods Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales 26 October 2026
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Basildon 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.
  • Neighbourhood figures cover England and Wales only; Scottish data zones and Northern Irish super data zones cannot be placed in councils without lookups we do not hold.

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.