South East · District council
Canterbury motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Canterbury, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Canterbury compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 77,172 +1.6% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 454 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 2,723 3.5% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.8% 171st highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 263 162 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.7% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Canterbury?
There were 77,172 licensed cars in Canterbury at the end of March 2026, and 92,418 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 454 for every 1,000 residents, 116th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Canterbury
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76,439 | 64,679 |
| 2011 | 76,971 | 65,128 |
| 2012 | 77,225 | 65,329 |
| 2013 | 77,677 | 65,867 |
| 2014 | 79,439 | 67,389 |
| 2015 | 80,618 | 68,422 |
| 2016 | 81,978 | 69,589 |
| 2017 | 83,497 | 70,724 |
| 2018 | 84,086 | 71,217 |
| 2019 | 85,142 | 72,004 |
| 2020 | 85,694 | 72,638 |
| 2021 | 86,342 | 72,667 |
| 2022 | 87,796 | 73,418 |
| 2023 | 88,714 | 74,025 |
| 2024 | 89,745 | 74,936 |
| 2025 | 91,044 | 75,940 |
| 2026 | 92,418 | 77,172 |
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 | Canterbury | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 433 | 534 | – |
| 2012 | 433 | 535 | – |
| 2013 | 433 | 541 | – |
| 2014 | 439 | 547 | – |
| 2015 | 441 | 551 | 473 |
| 2016 | 444 | 559 | 480 |
| 2017 | 450 | 567 | 488 |
| 2018 | 455 | 570 | 490 |
| 2019 | 459 | 572 | 493 |
| 2020 | 456 | 561 | 489 |
| 2021 | 468 | 564 | 493 |
| 2022 | 464 | 565 | 489 |
| 2023 | 462 | 567 | 489 |
| 2024 | 466 | 570 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Canterbury
57.1% of cars in Canterbury run on petrol and 29.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 36.3% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.9%, and cars that plug in 5.4%.
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 | 74.1% | 25.6% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 72.2% | 27.4% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 70.5% | 29.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 68.7% | 30.7% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 66.9% | 32.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 65.1% | 34.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 63.8% | 35.1% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 62.6% | 36.1% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | 36.3% | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 62.0% | 36.2% | 1.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 61.8% | 36.0% | 1.6% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 61.1% | 35.8% | 2.0% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 60.4% | 35.2% | 2.7% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| 2023 | 59.9% | 34.1% | 3.5% | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| 2024 | 59.1% | 32.9% | 4.7% | 1.8% | 1.0% |
| 2025 | 58.3% | 31.0% | 6.3% | 2.6% | 1.4% |
| 2026 | 57.1% | 29.2% | 7.9% | 3.5% | 1.9% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Canterbury
2,723 battery electric cars were licensed in Canterbury at the end of March 2026, 3.5% of all cars, 181st lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,177 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,963.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.8% are battery electric (2,072 cars), 26th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 23.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.7% of its cars overall. There are also 85 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 | Canterbury | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | 3.0% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | 5.7% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 3.5% | 8.7% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Canterbury
There were 263 public chargers in Canterbury on 1 July 2026, 59 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 162 for every 100,000 residents, 134th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 20.1% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 14.5 privately kept plug-in cars in Canterbury (UK 11.9), 161st 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 | 219 | 49 |
| Apr 2026 | 230 | 48 |
| Jul 2026 | 263 | 59 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury | 162 | 36 |
| Kent | 128 | 44 |
| South East | 159 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Canterbury has 19 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury 018 | 3,853 | 154 | 4.0% | |
| Canterbury 012 | 3,879 | 123 | 3.2% | |
| Canterbury 017 | 5,771 | 186 | 3.2% | |
| Canterbury 016 | 3,542 | 111 | 3.1% | |
| Canterbury 010 | 4,688 | 139 | 3.0% | |
| Canterbury 009 | 5,740 | 162 | 2.8% | |
| Canterbury 005 | 5,681 | 151 | 2.7% | |
| Canterbury 011 | 4,574 | 116 | 2.5% | |
| Canterbury 013 | 2,640 | 67 | 2.5% | |
| Canterbury 003 | 5,480 | 134 | 2.4% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Canterbury 001 | 3,645 | 50 | 1.4% | |
| Canterbury 019 | 2,381 | 37 | 1.6% | |
| Canterbury 020 | 3,527 | 64 | 1.8% | |
| Canterbury 007 | 4,683 | 90 | 1.9% | |
| Canterbury 004 | 5,360 | 108 | 2.0% | |
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 Canterbury
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 307 | 74 |
| 2022 | 351 | 68 |
| 2023 | 292 | 65 |
| 2024 | 276 | 72 |
| 2025 | 284 | 81 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Canterbury
Unleaded petrol averages 173.7p a litre across 13 filling stations in Canterbury, 2.0p above the UK average. Diesel averages 196.1p, 1.5p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Sainsbury's Herne Bay Kent 170.9p
- MFG Morrisons Canterbury Wincheap 171.9p
- Sainsbury's Whitstable Whitstable 171.9p
How Canterbury compares
| Canterbury | 454 | 3.5% | 162 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | 495 | 3.4% | 128 |
| South East | 496 | 8.7% | 159 |
| 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 Kent
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Sevenoaks | 551 | 4.3% | 95 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dartford | 441 | 4.2% | 194 |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 530 | 4.1% | 128 |
| Tunbridge Wells | 515 | 3.8% | 113 |
| Ashford | 511 | 3.5% | 145 |
| Canterbury | 454 | 3.5% | 162 |
| Maidstone | 515 | 3.4% | 83 |
| Gravesham | 461 | 3.0% | 78 |
| Dover | 497 | 2.8% | 137 |
| Swale | 493 | 2.8% | 107 |
| Folkestone and Hythe | 494 | 2.7% | 211 |
| Thanet | 457 | 2.6% | 98 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 92,418 licensed vehicles in Canterbury | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 4,342 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 Canterbury 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.