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
65,696 licensed vehicles in Crawley
Methodology
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  • Licensed cars 56,770 +0.9% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 435 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 1,845 3.2% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.5% 90th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 277 223 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.9% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Crawley?

There were 56,770 licensed cars in Crawley at the end of June 2026, and 65,696 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 435 for every 1,000 residents, 98th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

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 53,21046,394
2011 54,01547,043
2012 54,68847,608
2013 55,28648,441
2014 56,32749,389
2015 56,71649,711
2016 58,39051,037
2017 59,98952,347
2018 60,61652,709
2019 61,17153,235
2020 60,64852,722
2021 62,11953,485
2022 62,51253,719
2023 63,14054,318
2024 64,46955,477
2025 65,06156,284
2026 65,69656,770

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.

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

58.7% of cars in Crawley run on petrol and 26.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.2% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.2%, and cars that plug in 5.2%.

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.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in Crawley, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 78.8%20.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 76.9%22.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 74.8%24.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 73.0%26.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 70.9%28.4%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 69.3%29.9%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2016 67.5%31.6%0.6%0.1%0.0%
2017 65.9%32.9%0.9%0.1%0.1%
2018 65.1%33.4%1.1%0.1%0.2%
2019 64.4%33.8%1.3%0.1%0.2%
2020 63.7%34.2%1.6%0.2%0.2%
2021 62.9%33.9%2.3%0.4%0.4%
2022 61.9%33.7%3.0%0.7%0.6%
2023 61.2%32.7%3.9%1.1%0.8%
2024 60.9%30.6%5.5%1.7%1.0%
2025 60.0%28.6%7.2%2.5%1.3%
2026 58.7%26.6%9.2%3.2%2.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Crawley

1,845 battery electric cars were licensed in Crawley at the end of June 2026, 3.2% of all cars, 96th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,956 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,418.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.5% are battery electric (1,354 cars), 10th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 26.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.9% of its cars overall. There are also 72 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%0.3%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.5%0.4%
2021 0.4%1.1%0.8%
2022 0.7%2.2%1.5%
2023 1.1%3.3%2.3%
2024 1.7%4.5%3.2%
2025 2.5%6.4%4.4%
2026 3.2%9.3%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 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 8.2 privately kept plug-in cars in Crawley (UK 12.9), 54th 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, 1.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.8%. 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 6,575 247 3.8% 6.1%
Crawley 008 4,812 179 3.7% 6.1%
Crawley 009 5,198 145 2.8% 4.2%
Crawley 005 4,205 110 2.6% 4.4%
Crawley 004 5,512 109 2.0% 3.6%
Crawley 013 4,076 77 1.9% 2.9%
Crawley 001 3,977 72 1.8% 3.2%
Crawley 007 4,592 84 1.8% 3.3%
Crawley 011 3,987 69 1.7% 3.1%
Crawley 003 4,375 71 1.6% 3.2%
Lowest electric shares
Crawley 012 3,747 41 1.1% 2.6%
Crawley 010 3,704 39 1.1% 2.2%
Crawley 006 4,539 73 1.6% 2.6%
Crawley 003 4,375 71 1.6% 3.2%
Crawley 011 3,987 69 1.7% 3.1%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 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 172.1p a litre across 5 filling stations in Crawley, 0.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

How Crawley compares

Crawley compared with West Sussex, the South East, England, the UK
Crawley 435 3.2% 2.5% 4.9% 223 8.2
West Sussex 521 3.8% 3.2% 4.0% 193 13.6
South East 499 9.3% 3.5% 18.5% 159 17.7
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

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 June 2026.

Driving test centres in Crawley

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Crawley, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 42.7% at Crawley.

Other centres in West Sussex:

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.

Councils in West Sussex
Mid Sussex 535 4.5% 3.8% 5.0% 176 18.8
Horsham 583 4.3% 3.7% 3.4% 195 17.4
Chichester 562 3.8% 3.2% 4.1% 173 17.0
Worthing 467 3.4% 2.8% 3.6% 255 7.4
Arun 532 3.3% 2.9% 3.3% 166 14.1
Adur 476 3.2% 2.6% 4.1% 168 11.2
Crawley 435 3.2% 2.5% 4.9% 223 8.2

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 65,696 licensed vehicles in Crawley 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 3,070 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 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.