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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
184,243 licensed vehicles in East Suffolk
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 143,642 +0.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 551 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 4,865 3.4% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.7% 120th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 357 143 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.3% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in East Suffolk?

There were 143,642 licensed cars in East Suffolk at the end of June 2026, and 184,243 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 14.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 551 for every 1,000 residents, 58th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

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 155,145125,439
2011 156,027125,947
2012 156,961126,642
2013 158,948128,050
2014 162,004130,405
2015 163,299131,666
2016 166,622133,907
2017 170,104136,434
2018 171,513137,240
2019 173,858138,604
2020 173,029138,140
2021 177,133139,764
2022 178,642139,872
2023 179,878140,610
2024 181,377141,709
2025 182,975142,940
2026 184,243143,642

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, 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

55.1% of cars in East Suffolk run on petrol and 32.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 37.9% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.8%, and cars that plug in 5.1%.

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 East Suffolk, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 72.1%27.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 70.3%29.3%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 68.7%30.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.1%32.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.5%34.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 64.0%35.4%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.7%36.6%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 61.8%37.4%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.2%37.7%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 60.9%37.8%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2020 60.4%37.9%1.1%0.3%0.2%
2021 59.7%37.8%1.6%0.4%0.4%
2022 58.8%37.3%2.3%0.8%0.6%
2023 58.1%36.7%3.0%1.2%0.8%
2024 57.2%35.7%4.2%1.6%1.0%
2025 56.3%34.3%5.5%2.3%1.3%
2026 55.1%32.6%6.8%3.4%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in East Suffolk

4,865 battery electric cars were licensed in East Suffolk at the end of June 2026, 3.4% of all cars, 129th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 7,311 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,321.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.7% are battery electric (3,777 cars), 19th lowest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 22.4% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.3% of its cars overall. There are also 151 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%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.4%0.8%0.8%
2022 0.8%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.2%1.9%2.3%
2024 1.6%2.9%3.2%
2025 2.3%4.1%4.4%
2026 3.4%5.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 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 16.6 privately kept plug-in cars in East Suffolk (UK 12.9), 171st 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 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, 2.4% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.5%. 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 025 9,025 312 3.5% 5.3%
East Suffolk 021 5,828 195 3.3% 5.6%
East Suffolk 001 4,863 145 3.0% 4.5%
East Suffolk 020 5,517 168 3.0% 4.6%
East Suffolk 026 5,935 180 3.0% 5.3%
East Suffolk 028 5,860 168 2.9% 4.3%
East Suffolk 016 5,444 155 2.8% 4.4%
East Suffolk 022 4,850 137 2.8% 4.8%
East Suffolk 003 5,490 149 2.7% 4.0%
East Suffolk 017 7,734 211 2.7% 4.4%
Lowest electric shares
East Suffolk 009 3,540 44 1.2% 2.1%
East Suffolk 005 4,415 54 1.2% 2.2%
East Suffolk 012 6,567 106 1.6% 2.5%
East Suffolk 013 5,410 94 1.7% 2.8%
East Suffolk 030 3,604 64 1.8% 3.0%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026. 2 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 169.5p a litre across 25 filling stations in East Suffolk, 2.0p below the UK average. Diesel averages 197.6p, 1.1p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Kessingland Kessingland 164.6p
  2. Jet Aw & D Hammond Ltd Halesworth 164.9p
  3. The Co-operative Our Coop Halesworth Halesworth 164.9p

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 551 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 143 16.6
Suffolk 547 3.3% 2.7% 4.3% 194 12.0
East of England 501 5.6% 3.2% 8.7% 150 17.3
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 East Suffolk

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in East Suffolk, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 43.3% at Lowestoft(Mobbs Way).

Other centres in Suffolk:

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 Suffolk

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

Councils in Suffolk
Mid Suffolk 612 3.9% 3.2% 4.6% 135 21.9
East Suffolk 551 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 143 16.6
Babergh 590 3.3% 2.9% 3.2% 164 16.8
West Suffolk 547 3.1% 2.7% 4.6% 236 9.5
Ipswich 446 2.7% 1.9% 4.9% 294 4.8

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 184,243 licensed vehicles in East Suffolk 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 7,636 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 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.