South East · District council
Chichester motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Chichester, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Chichester compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 75,556 +1.1% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 562 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 2,845 3.8% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.2% 159th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 223 173 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.1% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Chichester?
There were 75,556 licensed cars in Chichester at the end of June 2026, and 95,685 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 15.1% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 562 for every 1,000 residents, 38th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Chichester
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80,421 | 65,648 |
| 2011 | 81,361 | 66,434 |
| 2012 | 81,091 | 66,065 |
| 2013 | 81,489 | 66,115 |
| 2014 | 82,993 | 67,068 |
| 2015 | 83,942 | 67,593 |
| 2016 | 85,235 | 68,541 |
| 2017 | 87,111 | 70,000 |
| 2018 | 87,801 | 70,563 |
| 2019 | 88,926 | 71,289 |
| 2020 | 88,213 | 70,819 |
| 2021 | 91,172 | 72,515 |
| 2022 | 91,988 | 72,945 |
| 2023 | 92,840 | 73,484 |
| 2024 | 93,482 | 74,107 |
| 2025 | 94,506 | 74,723 |
| 2026 | 95,685 | 75,556 |
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.
| Year | Chichester | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 583 | 534 | – |
| 2012 | 574 | 535 | – |
| 2013 | 569 | 541 | – |
| 2014 | 574 | 547 | – |
| 2015 | 571 | 551 | 473 |
| 2016 | 573 | 559 | 480 |
| 2017 | 576 | 567 | 488 |
| 2018 | 578 | 570 | 490 |
| 2019 | 581 | 572 | 493 |
| 2020 | 576 | 561 | 489 |
| 2021 | 582 | 564 | 493 |
| 2022 | 578 | 565 | 489 |
| 2023 | 576 | 567 | 489 |
| 2024 | 575 | 570 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Chichester
58.9% of cars in Chichester run on petrol and 27.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 35.9% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.9%, and cars that plug in 5.9%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.3% | 27.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 70.7% | 28.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 69.1% | 30.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 67.8% | 31.6% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 66.3% | 33.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 65.0% | 34.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 63.7% | 35.3% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 63.0% | 35.9% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 62.8% | 35.8% | 0.8% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 62.8% | 35.5% | 1.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2020 | 62.7% | 35.2% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 62.3% | 34.5% | 1.8% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| 2022 | 61.7% | 33.6% | 2.4% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| 2023 | 61.2% | 32.6% | 3.2% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| 2024 | 60.5% | 31.4% | 4.2% | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| 2025 | 59.9% | 29.7% | 5.5% | 2.9% | 1.7% |
| 2026 | 58.9% | 27.9% | 6.9% | 3.8% | 2.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Chichester
2,845 battery electric cars were licensed in Chichester at the end of June 2026, 3.8% of all cars, 177th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,443 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,141.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.2% are battery electric (2,300 cars), 29th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 19.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.1% of its cars overall. There are also 114 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 | Chichester | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | 2.2% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.9% | 6.4% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 3.8% | 9.3% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Chichester
There were 223 public chargers in Chichester on 1 July 2026, 39 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 173 for every 100,000 residents, 123rd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 16.1% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 17.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Chichester (UK 12.9), 174th 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 | 192 | 35 |
| Apr 2026 | 235 | 41 |
| Jul 2026 | 223 | 39 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Chichester | 173 | 30 |
| West Sussex | 193 | 35 |
| South East | 159 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Chichester has 14 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.9% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.7%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chichester 011 | 6,310 | 231 | 3.7% | |
| Chichester 006 | 5,942 | 202 | 3.4% | |
| Chichester 003 | 5,111 | 168 | 3.3% | |
| Chichester 002 | 5,792 | 185 | 3.2% | |
| Chichester 009 | 6,061 | 196 | 3.2% | |
| Chichester 007 | 6,102 | 189 | 3.1% | |
| Chichester 001 | 5,081 | 149 | 2.9% | |
| Chichester 012 | 7,280 | 208 | 2.9% | |
| Chichester 005 | 6,661 | 182 | 2.7% | |
| Chichester 013 | 8,711 | 223 | 2.6% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Chichester 014 | 7,266 | 130 | 1.8% | |
| Chichester 010 | 4,074 | 74 | 1.8% | |
| Chichester 008 | 5,839 | 107 | 1.8% | |
| Chichester 004 | 5,721 | 121 | 2.1% | |
| Chichester 013 | 8,711 | 223 | 2.6% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Chichester
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 289 | 96 |
| 2022 | 333 | 90 |
| 2023 | 330 | 85 |
| 2024 | 275 | 79 |
| 2025 | 309 | 96 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Chichester
Unleaded petrol averages 173.9p a litre across 12 filling stations in Chichester, 2.4p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.1p, 0.4p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Esso Rontec Nutbourne Nutbourne 169.9p
- Texaco Southern Co-op Chichester Lavant Road Chichester 169.9p
- Sainsbury's Chichester Chichester 171.9p
How Chichester compares
| Chichester | 562 | 3.8% | 173 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Sussex | 521 | 3.8% | 193 |
| South East | 499 | 9.3% | 159 |
| England | 440 | 6.2% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 444 | 5.8% | 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 June 2026.
Driving test centres in Chichester
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Chichester, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 61.6% at Chichester.
Other centres in West Sussex:
- Worthing 59.8% pass rate, 2025/26
- Burgess Hill 45.5% pass rate, 2025/26
- Crawley 42.7% pass rate, 2025/26
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 West Sussex
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 95,685 licensed vehicles in Chichester | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 4,651 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 Chichester 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.