South East · District council

Crawley motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
65,182 licensed vehicles in Crawley
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 56,455 +0.8% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 433 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,702 3.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.3% 103rd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 277 223 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.9% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Crawley?

There were 56,455 licensed cars in Crawley at the end of March 2026, and 65,182 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 433 for every 1,000 residents, 98th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Crawley

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Crawley at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 52,74946,089
2011 53,54646,787
2012 54,35547,427
2013 54,86747,923
2014 55,57548,840
2015 56,02949,242
2016 57,89750,739
2017 59,49552,099
2018 60,12252,531
2019 60,82453,011
2020 61,29553,402
2021 61,33753,031
2022 62,17853,542
2023 62,60053,898
2024 63,74155,030
2025 64,68155,998
2026 65,18256,455

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, Crawley compared
Year CrawleySouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 439534
2012 437535
2013 440541
2014 443547
2015 440551473
2016 447559480
2017 455567488
2018 453570490
2019 454572493
2020 448561489
2021 451564493
2022 448565489
2023 443567489
2024 447570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Crawley

59.1% of cars in Crawley run on petrol and 27.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.1% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.8%, and cars that plug in 4.8%.

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 Crawley, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 79.2%20.5%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 77.3%22.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 75.3%24.3%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 73.3%26.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 71.5%27.9%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 69.6%29.7%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2016 67.9%31.2%0.6%0.1%0.0%
2017 66.3%32.6%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2018 65.2%33.4%1.0%0.1%0.1%
2019 64.6%33.6%1.3%0.1%0.2%
2020 63.8%34.1%1.5%0.2%0.3%
2021 63.1%34.1%2.0%0.3%0.3%
2022 62.0%33.9%2.8%0.6%0.5%
2023 61.3%33.1%3.7%1.0%0.7%
2024 61.0%31.2%5.1%1.6%0.9%
2025 60.2%29.1%6.8%2.3%1.2%
2026 59.1%27.1%8.8%3.0%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Crawley

1,702 battery electric cars were licensed in Crawley at the end of March 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 110th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,701 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,311.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.3% are battery electric (1,231 cars), 12th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 27.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.9% of its cars overall. There are also 68 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, Crawley compared, end of March each year
Year CrawleySouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.5%0.3%
2021 0.3%1.0%0.7%
2022 0.6%1.9%1.3%
2023 1.0%3.0%2.1%
2024 1.6%4.2%3.0%
2025 2.3%5.7%4.1%
2026 3.0%8.7%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Crawley

There were 277 public chargers in Crawley on 1 July 2026, 62 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 223 for every 100,000 residents, 67th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 0.7% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 6.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Crawley (UK 11.9), 50th fewest 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 Crawley by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 27970
Apr 2026 29875
Jul 2026 27762

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Crawley compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Crawley 22350
West Sussex 19335
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Crawley has 13 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.7% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.4%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Crawley with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Crawley 002 6,572 226 3.4% 5.6%
Crawley 008 4,734 156 3.3% 5.4%
Crawley 009 5,151 133 2.6% 3.8%
Crawley 005 4,206 98 2.3% 4.0%
Crawley 004 5,418 102 1.9% 3.4%
Crawley 001 3,961 66 1.7% 2.9%
Crawley 007 4,567 76 1.7% 2.9%
Crawley 003 4,349 70 1.6% 3.0%
Crawley 006 4,533 74 1.6% 2.6%
Crawley 011 3,936 62 1.6% 2.8%
Lowest electric shares
Crawley 010 3,678 32 0.9% 1.8%
Crawley 012 3,695 38 1.0% 2.3%
Crawley 013 4,031 66 1.6% 2.6%
Crawley 011 3,936 62 1.6% 2.8%
Crawley 006 4,533 74 1.6% 2.6%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Crawley

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Crawley, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 18635
2022 25660
2023 26669
2024 27163
2025 21152

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Crawley

Unleaded petrol averages 171.9p a litre across 12 filling stations in Crawley, 0.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 194.5p, 0.1p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

How Crawley compares

Crawley compared with West Sussex, the South East, England, the UK
Crawley 433 3.0% 2.3% 4.9% 223 6.9
West Sussex 518 3.5% 2.9% 4.0% 193 12.4
South East 496 8.7% 3.2% 18.1% 159 16.9
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 West Sussex

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

Councils in West Sussex
Mid Sussex 531 4.1% 3.5% 5.0% 176 17.8
Horsham 580 4.0% 3.4% 3.4% 195 16.4
Chichester 557 3.5% 2.9% 4.0% 173 14.7
Worthing 465 3.1% 2.5% 3.5% 255 7.1
Arun 529 3.0% 2.5% 3.3% 166 12.8
Crawley 433 3.0% 2.3% 4.9% 223 6.9
Adur 473 2.9% 2.4% 4.0% 168 10.0

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 65,182 licensed vehicles in Crawley 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,802 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 Crawley 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.