East of England · District council
Cambridge motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Cambridge, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Cambridge compares with the East of England. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 41,838 +0.3% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 270 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 1,954 4.7% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 4.0% 27th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 467 313 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 3.8% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Cambridge?
There were 41,838 licensed cars in Cambridge at the end of March 2026, and 47,526 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 10.9% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 270 for every 1,000 residents, 20th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Cambridge
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43,556 | 37,720 |
| 2011 | 43,843 | 38,007 |
| 2012 | 43,744 | 38,034 |
| 2013 | 43,700 | 37,809 |
| 2014 | 44,027 | 38,174 |
| 2015 | 44,820 | 38,860 |
| 2016 | 45,957 | 39,918 |
| 2017 | 46,510 | 40,433 |
| 2018 | 46,794 | 40,665 |
| 2019 | 47,017 | 40,968 |
| 2020 | 50,862 | 41,543 |
| 2021 | 51,135 | 41,004 |
| 2022 | 51,903 | 41,507 |
| 2023 | 50,618 | 41,388 |
| 2024 | 50,669 | 41,626 |
| 2025 | 49,758 | 41,705 |
| 2026 | 47,526 | 41,838 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Licensed vehicles by type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 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.
| Year | Cambridge | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 311 | 503 | – |
| 2012 | 304 | 502 | – |
| 2013 | 298 | 505 | – |
| 2014 | 295 | 524 | – |
| 2015 | 293 | 529 | 473 |
| 2016 | 293 | 537 | 480 |
| 2017 | 292 | 544 | 488 |
| 2018 | 287 | 542 | 490 |
| 2019 | 288 | 541 | 493 |
| 2020 | 285 | 536 | 489 |
| 2021 | 286 | 539 | 493 |
| 2022 | 281 | 532 | 489 |
| 2023 | 278 | 529 | 489 |
| 2024 | 280 | 531 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Cambridge
57.1% of cars in Cambridge run on petrol and 26.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 33.5% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.1%, and cars that plug in 7.0%.
Cars by fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Fuel mix over time
Share of licensed cars at the end of March each year.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77.7% | 21.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 75.7% | 23.8% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 26.0% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 71.7% | 27.6% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 69.8% | 29.2% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 67.8% | 31.1% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 66.1% | 32.5% | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 65.0% | 33.3% | 1.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 64.2% | 33.5% | 1.7% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 63.9% | 33.2% | 2.1% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| 2020 | 63.3% | 33.0% | 2.5% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | 32.4% | 3.0% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| 2022 | 61.9% | 31.6% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| 2023 | 60.8% | 30.6% | 5.0% | 2.1% | 1.2% |
| 2024 | 59.7% | 29.5% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 1.4% |
| 2025 | 58.1% | 28.3% | 7.7% | 3.6% | 1.9% |
| 2026 | 57.1% | 26.5% | 9.1% | 4.7% | 2.3% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Cambridge
1,954 battery electric cars were licensed in Cambridge at the end of March 2026, 4.7% of all cars, 49th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,918 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,521.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.0% are battery electric (1,629 cars), 4th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 16.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.8% of its cars overall. There are also 116 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.
| Year | Cambridge | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 3.6% | 3.8% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 4.7% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Cambridge
There were 467 public chargers in Cambridge on 1 July 2026, 78 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 313 for every 100,000 residents, 32nd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 10.1% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 5.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Cambridge (UK 11.9), 36th fewest of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.
Public chargers
| Date | All public chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 424 | 78 |
| Apr 2026 | 433 | 78 |
| Jul 2026 | 467 | 78 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 313 | 52 |
| Cambridgeshire | 182 | 58 |
| East of England | 150 | 49 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Cambridge has 14 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 6.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge 015 | 4,099 | 249 | 6.1% | |
| Cambridge 014 | 1,616 | 93 | 5.8% | |
| Cambridge 013 | 3,842 | 186 | 4.8% | |
| Cambridge 005 | 2,348 | 106 | 4.5% | |
| Cambridge 004 | 3,119 | 117 | 3.8% | |
| Cambridge 002 | 3,460 | 126 | 3.6% | |
| Cambridge 011 | 4,078 | 142 | 3.5% | |
| Cambridge 010 | 3,087 | 95 | 3.1% | |
| Cambridge 003 | 3,563 | 106 | 3.0% | |
| Cambridge 008 | 2,010 | 60 | 3.0% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Cambridge 001 | 3,604 | 60 | 1.7% | |
| Cambridge 006 | 3,904 | 102 | 2.6% | |
| Cambridge 009 | 3,007 | 81 | 2.7% | |
| Cambridge 008 | 2,010 | 60 | 3.0% | |
| Cambridge 003 | 3,563 | 106 | 3.0% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.
Road traffic and collisions in Cambridge
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 251 | 68 |
| 2022 | 271 | 69 |
| 2023 | 235 | 64 |
| 2024 | 215 | 49 |
| 2025 | 215 | 52 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Cambridge
Unleaded petrol averages 176.4p a litre across 6 filling stations in Cambridge, 4.7p above the UK average. Diesel averages 198.6p, 4.0p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Sainsbury's Coldhams Lane Cambridge 169.9p
- BP MFG Orchard Cambridge 175.9p
- BP MFG Cambridge Cambridge 176.9p
How Cambridge compares
| Cambridge | 270 | 4.7% | 313 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridgeshire | 489 | 4.5% | 182 |
| East of England | 497 | 5.2% | 150 |
| England | 437 | 5.8% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 441 | 5.4% | 175 |
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 March 2026.
Councils in Cambridgeshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| South Cambridgeshire | 543 | 5.5% | 205 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 270 | 4.7% | 313 |
| Huntingdonshire | 545 | 4.6% | 175 |
| East Cambridgeshire | 562 | 4.0% | 90 |
| Fenland | 535 | 2.7% | 53 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 47,526 licensed vehicles in Cambridge | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 3,100 plug-in vehicles | 15 September 2026 |
| Public chargers | Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics Department for Transport | 1 July 2026 | 121,171 public chargers (UK) | 15 September 2026 |
| Population | Mid-year population estimates Office for National Statistics | Mid-2024 | 404 areas | 15 September 2026 |
| Neighbourhoods | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales | 15 September 2026 |
- Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Cambridge 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.