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East Suffolk motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
182,200 licensed vehicles in East Suffolk
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 142,710 +0.6% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 547 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 4,338 3.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.4% 122nd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 357 143 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.3% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in East Suffolk?

There were 142,710 licensed cars in East Suffolk at the end of March 2026, and 182,200 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 14.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 547 for every 1,000 residents, 57th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in East Suffolk

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in East Suffolk at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 153,503124,569
2011 154,505125,329
2012 155,316125,773
2013 156,485126,893
2014 159,342128,955
2015 161,565130,810
2016 164,659132,988
2017 168,143135,499
2018 169,507136,203
2019 172,271137,862
2020 173,755139,375
2021 174,275138,361
2022 176,852139,118
2023 177,893139,632
2024 179,372140,740
2025 180,735141,808
2026 182,200142,710

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, East Suffolk compared
Year East SuffolkEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 525503–
2012 529502–
2013 534505–
2014 544524–
2015 548529473
2016 554537480
2017 560544488
2018 562542490
2019 566541493
2020 563536489
2021 566539493
2022 566532489
2023 566529489
2024 568531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in East Suffolk

55.2% of cars in East Suffolk run on petrol and 33.3% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.0% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.5%, and cars that plug in 4.6%.

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 East Suffolk, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 72.5%27.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 70.6%29.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 69.0%30.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.4%32.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.6%33.8%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 64.2%35.2%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.9%36.4%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 61.8%37.3%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.1%37.9%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 60.8%37.9%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2020 60.4%38.0%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2021 59.8%37.9%1.4%0.4%0.3%
2022 58.8%37.7%2.1%0.7%0.5%
2023 58.2%36.9%2.8%1.1%0.7%
2024 57.3%36.1%3.9%1.5%0.9%
2025 56.3%34.8%5.2%2.1%1.2%
2026 55.2%33.3%6.5%3.0%1.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in East Suffolk

4,338 battery electric cars were licensed in East Suffolk at the end of March 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 110th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 6,619 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,037.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.4% are battery electric (3,302 cars), 19th lowest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 23.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.3% of its cars overall. There are also 125 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, East Suffolk compared, end of March each year
Year East SuffolkEast 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 0.2%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.7%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.1%1.7%2.1%
2024 1.5%2.6%3.0%
2025 2.1%3.8%4.1%
2026 3.0%5.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in East Suffolk

There were 357 public chargers in East Suffolk on 1 July 2026, 116 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 143 for every 100,000 residents, 175th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 24.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 16.0 privately kept plug-in cars in East Suffolk (UK 11.9), 178th 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 East Suffolk by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 28898
Apr 2026 329108
Jul 2026 357116

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, East Suffolk compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
East Suffolk 14347
Suffolk 19449
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

East Suffolk has 30 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in East Suffolk with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
East Suffolk 021 5,753 178 3.1% 5.2%
East Suffolk 025 8,933 270 3.0% 4.8%
East Suffolk 020 5,453 146 2.7% 4.1%
East Suffolk 022 4,822 127 2.6% 4.5%
East Suffolk 026 5,907 151 2.6% 4.7%
East Suffolk 016 5,321 134 2.5% 3.9%
East Suffolk 017 7,636 193 2.5% 4.2%
East Suffolk 028 5,783 143 2.5% 3.8%
East Suffolk 001 4,810 117 2.4% 3.9%
East Suffolk 003 5,398 124 2.3% 3.6%
Lowest electric shares
East Suffolk 009 3,493 40 1.1% 2.0%
East Suffolk 005 4,370 46 1.1% 2.0%
East Suffolk 012 6,456 96 1.5% 2.3%
East Suffolk 002 3,754 57 1.5% 2.5%
East Suffolk 013 5,327 84 1.6% 2.6%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 3 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in East Suffolk

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in East Suffolk, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 33288
2022 38191
2023 27576
2024 328105
2025 385109

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in East Suffolk

Unleaded petrol averages 168.2p a litre across 33 filling stations in East Suffolk, 3.5p below the UK average. Diesel averages 190.6p, 4.0p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Jet Aw & D Hammond Ltd Halesworth 163.9p
  2. The Co-operative Our Coop Halesworth Halesworth 163.9p
  3. Kessingland Kessingland 164.6p

Every filling station and price in East Suffolk

How East Suffolk compares

East Suffolk compared with Suffolk, the East of England, England, the UK
East Suffolk 547 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 143 16.0
Suffolk 543 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 194 12.0
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 Suffolk

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

Councils in Suffolk
Mid Suffolk 605 3.5% 2.9% 4.6% 135 19.8
Babergh 584 3.0% 2.6% 3.2% 164 14.1
East Suffolk 547 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 143 16.0
West Suffolk 544 2.9% 2.4% 4.5% 236 10.6
Ipswich 444 2.5% 1.7% 4.9% 294 4.9

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 182,200 licensed vehicles in East Suffolk 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 6,896 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 East Suffolk 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.