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Chelmsford motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
119,008 licensed vehicles in Chelmsford
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 99,417 +0.4% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 502 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 3,676 3.7% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.1% 120th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 199 105 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.7% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Chelmsford?

There were 99,417 licensed cars in Chelmsford at the end of March 2026, and 119,008 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 13.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 502 for every 1,000 residents, 152nd highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Chelmsford

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Chelmsford at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 103,21787,444
2011 104,83488,640
2012 105,58489,052
2013 106,05189,530
2014 107,76290,737
2015 108,78791,497
2016 110,78193,055
2017 111,80994,405
2018 112,65095,114
2019 114,02096,175
2020 115,16497,457
2021 115,02096,762
2022 115,78596,883
2023 116,51397,431
2024 117,62298,387
2025 118,18399,028
2026 119,00899,417

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.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, Chelmsford compared
Year ChelmsfordEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 527503–
2012 528502–
2013 530505–
2014 531524–
2015 531529473
2016 533537480
2017 536544488
2018 537542490
2019 537541493
2020 533536489
2021 536539493
2022 531532489
2023 527529489
2024 524531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Chelmsford

60.4% of cars in Chelmsford run on petrol and 24.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.0% 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 March 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 Chelmsford, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 76.0%23.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 74.4%25.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 72.8%26.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 71.0%28.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 69.3%30.1%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 67.9%31.5%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 66.5%32.7%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2017 65.3%33.8%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 64.8%34.0%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2019 64.6%33.9%1.0%0.2%0.2%
2020 64.7%33.5%1.3%0.3%0.2%
2021 64.4%32.9%1.7%0.4%0.4%
2022 63.6%32.2%2.4%0.9%0.7%
2023 63.3%30.6%3.5%1.5%1.0%
2024 62.8%28.6%4.9%2.1%1.3%
2025 61.9%26.5%6.7%2.8%1.7%
2026 60.4%24.5%8.7%3.7%2.3%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Chelmsford

3,676 battery electric cars were licensed in Chelmsford at the end of March 2026, 3.7% of all cars, 154th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,944 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,767.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.1% are battery electric (2,921 cars), 16th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 20.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.7% of its cars overall. There are also 95 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, Chelmsford compared, end of March each year
Year ChelmsfordEast of EnglandUnited 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%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.9%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.5%1.7%2.1%
2024 2.1%2.6%3.0%
2025 2.8%3.8%4.1%
2026 3.7%5.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Chelmsford

There were 199 public chargers in Chelmsford on 1 July 2026, 86 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 105 for every 100,000 residents, 102nd lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 18.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 25.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Chelmsford (UK 11.9), 61st 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 Chelmsford by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 16882
Apr 2026 19286
Jul 2026 19986

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Chelmsford compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Chelmsford 10546
Essex 9045
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Chelmsford has 22 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.7% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Chelmsford with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Chelmsford 005 6,168 259 4.2% 7.1%
Chelmsford 001 7,083 285 4.0% 6.8%
Chelmsford 002 4,942 174 3.5% 5.5%
Chelmsford 004 5,660 190 3.4% 5.5%
Chelmsford 013 4,863 151 3.1% 5.1%
Chelmsford 007 4,262 125 2.9% 4.9%
Chelmsford 012 4,042 119 2.9% 4.6%
Chelmsford 009 4,944 139 2.8% 4.2%
Chelmsford 016 6,827 192 2.8% 5.2%
Chelmsford 008 5,074 135 2.7% 4.2%
Lowest electric shares
Chelmsford 022 2,781 45 1.6% 2.9%
Chelmsford 006 3,534 61 1.7% 2.9%
Chelmsford 023 2,504 51 2.0% 3.6%
Chelmsford 015 3,879 78 2.0% 4.1%
Chelmsford 019 5,109 116 2.3% 3.5%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Chelmsford

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Chelmsford, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 25660
2022 34087
2023 32495
2024 30077
2025 30786

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Chelmsford

Unleaded petrol averages 173.8p a litre across 19 filling stations in Chelmsford, 2.1p above the UK average. Diesel averages 196.2p, 1.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Asda South Woodham Ferrers Superstore Chelmsford 167.7p
  2. Sainsbury's South Woodham Ferrers South Woodham Ferrer 167.9p
  3. Danbury Esso Express Chelmsford 171.9p

Every filling station and price in Chelmsford

How Chelmsford compares

Chelmsford compared with Essex, the East of England, England, the UK
Chelmsford 502 3.7% 3.1% 4.7% 105 25.7
Essex 507 3.4% 2.7% 6.0% 90 26.8
East of England 497 5.2% 2.9% 8.6% 150 15.7
England 437 5.8% 2.9% 10.6% 173 12.4
United Kingdom4415.4%2.8%9.9%17511.9

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 March 2026.

Councils in Essex

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

Councils in Essex
Uttlesford 588 4.4% 3.8% 12.4% 164 22.5
Epping Forest 497 4.1% 3.3% 5.2% 126 24.6
Brentwood 499 3.8% 2.9% 4.6% 97 33.7
Basildon 459 3.7% 2.3% 12.1% 62 35.9
Chelmsford 502 3.7% 3.1% 4.7% 105 25.7
Colchester 471 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 90 22.2
Maldon 598 3.2% 2.6% 3.6% 61 50.6
Braintree 533 3.0% 2.4% 4.0% 89 23.4
Harlow 442 3.0% 2.3% 4.7% 74 22.8
Rochford 549 3.0% 2.6% 4.1% 76 32.5
Tendring 509 2.6% 2.0% 4.9% 84 20.0
Castle Point 531 2.5% 2.0% 3.8% 42 49.8

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 119,008 licensed vehicles in Chelmsford 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 6,246 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 Chelmsford 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.
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.