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East of England motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
4,378,460 licensed vehicles in East of England
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 3,577,525 +1.7% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 497 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 187,697 5.2% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.9% UK 2.8%
  • Public chargers 9,880 150 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 8.6% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in the East of England?

There were 3,577,525 licensed cars in the East of England at the end of March 2026, and 4,378,460 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 23.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 497 for every 1,000 residents (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in the East of England

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in the East of England at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 3,500,2852,898,993
2011 3,537,0102,934,220
2012 3,556,9432,954,837
2013 3,590,9582,988,501
2014 3,755,8633,128,872
2015 3,838,8423,198,281
2016 3,956,6393,290,157
2017 4,044,6503,359,051
2018 4,063,1813,367,800
2019 4,090,5413,379,727
2020 4,127,1753,417,663
2021 4,117,3623,386,388
2022 4,165,7763,405,328
2023 4,177,9613,410,393
2024 4,244,5043,461,121
2025 4,305,9213,518,010
2026 4,378,4603,577,525

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, the East of England compared
Year East of EnglandEnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 503457–
2012 502455–
2013 505458–
2014 524463–
2015 529466473
2016 537471480
2017 544478488
2018 542480490
2019 541483493
2020 536477489
2021 539482493
2022 532478489
2023 529477489
2024 531478490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in the East of England

55.4% of cars in the East of England run on petrol and 28.0% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 37.8% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.0%, and cars that plug in 8.3%.

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 the East of England, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.4%25.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 72.6%27.0%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 70.8%28.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.0%30.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.6%33.7%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.8%35.4%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2016 62.1%36.8%0.7%0.1%0.2%
2017 60.9%37.7%0.8%0.1%0.3%
2018 60.5%37.8%1.0%0.2%0.4%
2019 60.7%37.3%1.2%0.2%0.5%
2020 60.7%36.7%1.5%0.3%0.6%
2021 60.4%36.0%1.9%0.6%0.9%
2022 59.8%35.0%2.7%1.1%1.2%
2023 59.3%33.7%3.5%1.7%1.5%
2024 58.4%31.9%4.9%2.6%1.8%
2025 57.0%30.0%6.4%3.8%2.4%
2026 55.4%28.0%8.0%5.2%3.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in the East of England

187,697 battery electric cars were licensed in the East of England at the end of March 2026, 5.2% of all cars. With plug-in hybrids, 295,228 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 135,131.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.9% are battery electric (93,809 cars). Companies keep 50.0% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 8.6% of its cars overall. There are also 6,792 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, the East of England compared, end of March each year
Year East of EnglandEnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.4%0.3%
2021 0.6%0.7%0.7%
2022 1.1%1.4%1.3%
2023 1.7%2.3%2.1%
2024 2.6%3.2%3.0%
2025 3.8%4.4%4.1%
2026 5.2%5.8%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in the East of England

There were 9,880 public chargers in the East of England on 1 July 2026, 3,210 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 150 for every 100,000 residents, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 19.8% from 1 January 2025.

For every public charger there are 15.7 privately kept plug-in cars in the East of England (UK 11.9). A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.

Public chargers

Public EV chargers in the East of England by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2025 8,2492,357
Apr 2025 8,5522,440
Jul 2025 8,8982,631
Oct 2025 9,1032,719
Jan 2026 9,2692,892
Apr 2026 9,8873,040
Jul 2026 9,8803,210

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

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

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Petrol and diesel prices in East of England

Unleaded petrol averages 172.2p a litre across 730 filling stations in East of England, 0.5p above the UK average. Diesel averages 194.7p, 0.1p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Costco Wholesale Watford Watford 158.9p
  2. Esso Capel Service Station Ipswich 158.9p
  3. Murco Station Garage Thurston Bury St Edmunds 158.9p

Every filling station and price in East of England

How the East of England compares

East of England compared with England, the UK
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 the East of England

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

Councils in the East of England
Peterborough 427 28.7% 2.3% 59.8% 129 12.8
South Cambridgeshire 543 5.5% 4.9% 3.5% 205 17.9
Hertsmere 467 5.4% 4.1% 6.5% 229 15.8
St Albans 500 5.4% 4.6% 3.7% 111 41.3
Three Rivers 511 4.8% 3.9% 4.2% 161 16.7
Cambridge 270 4.7% 4.0% 3.8% 313 5.8
Huntingdonshire 545 4.6% 3.5% 8.4% 175 18.8
North Hertfordshire 512 4.4% 3.6% 4.3% 117 27.6
Uttlesford 588 4.4% 3.8% 12.4% 164 22.5
Central Bedfordshire 539 4.3% 3.6% 4.4% 168 15.3
Bedford 481 4.1% 3.2% 6.8% 149 16.3
East Hertfordshire 526 4.1% 3.4% 4.0% 135 22.2
Epping Forest 497 4.1% 3.3% 5.2% 126 24.6
Welwyn Hatfield 455 4.1% 3.3% 5.4% 350 6.5
East Cambridgeshire 562 4.0% 3.5% 3.7% 90 29.8
Dacorum 505 3.9% 3.2% 4.0% 159 17.1
Watford 397 3.9% 2.9% 5.2% 563 3.2
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
South Norfolk 568 3.6% 3.1% 4.1% 131 18.5
Mid Suffolk 605 3.5% 2.9% 4.6% 135 19.8
Broadland 571 3.3% 2.8% 3.9% 116 22.1
Colchester 471 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 90 22.2
Maldon 598 3.2% 2.6% 3.6% 61 50.6
Breckland 553 3.1% 2.4% 4.3% 114 18.4
Broxbourne 484 3.1% 2.5% 4.6% 153 14.8
Thurrock 455 3.1% 2.4% 5.2% 115 19.3
Babergh 584 3.0% 2.6% 3.2% 164 14.1
Braintree 533 3.0% 2.4% 4.0% 89 23.4
East Suffolk 547 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 143 16.0
Harlow 442 3.0% 2.3% 4.7% 74 22.8
Rochford 549 3.0% 2.6% 4.1% 76 32.5
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 535 2.9% 2.3% 4.1% 172 12.1
West Suffolk 544 2.9% 2.4% 4.5% 236 10.6
Stevenage 449 2.8% 2.2% 4.3% 194 8.6
Fenland 535 2.7% 2.1% 4.3% 53 34.3
Norwich 350 2.7% 1.6% 5.7% 196 4.7
Luton 375 2.6% 2.1% 5.1% 65 25.1
North Norfolk 569 2.6% 2.2% 3.5% 225 8.0
Tendring 509 2.6% 2.0% 4.9% 84 20.0
Castle Point 531 2.5% 2.0% 3.8% 42 49.8
Ipswich 444 2.5% 1.7% 4.9% 294 4.9
Southend-on-Sea 428 2.5% 2.0% 3.9% 51 29.2
Great Yarmouth 470 2.3% 1.7% 4.7% 211 6.3

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 4,378,460 licensed vehicles in East of England 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 307,990 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in the East of England 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.
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.