South East · District council
Eastbourne motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Eastbourne, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Eastbourne compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 47,961 +1.1% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 428 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 1,382 2.9% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.2% 59th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 121 116 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 6.9% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Eastbourne?
There were 47,961 licensed cars in Eastbourne at the end of June 2026, and 56,957 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 12.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 428 for every 1,000 residents, 94th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Eastbourne
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 49,413 | 42,634 |
| 2011 | 49,903 | 43,074 |
| 2012 | 50,599 | 43,616 |
| 2013 | 50,956 | 43,801 |
| 2014 | 52,354 | 44,877 |
| 2015 | 53,353 | 45,587 |
| 2016 | 54,020 | 46,135 |
| 2017 | 54,253 | 46,455 |
| 2018 | 54,369 | 46,500 |
| 2019 | 55,288 | 47,115 |
| 2020 | 54,096 | 46,157 |
| 2021 | 55,361 | 46,876 |
| 2022 | 54,902 | 46,300 |
| 2023 | 55,445 | 46,523 |
| 2024 | 56,209 | 47,377 |
| 2025 | 56,388 | 47,436 |
| 2026 | 56,957 | 47,961 |
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.
| Year | Eastbourne | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 434 | 534 | – |
| 2012 | 436 | 535 | – |
| 2013 | 435 | 541 | – |
| 2014 | 443 | 547 | – |
| 2015 | 447 | 551 | 473 |
| 2016 | 450 | 559 | 480 |
| 2017 | 451 | 567 | 488 |
| 2018 | 454 | 570 | 490 |
| 2019 | 459 | 572 | 493 |
| 2020 | 453 | 561 | 489 |
| 2021 | 461 | 564 | 493 |
| 2022 | 453 | 565 | 489 |
| 2023 | 448 | 567 | 489 |
| 2024 | 454 | 570 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Eastbourne
61.1% of cars in Eastbourne run on petrol and 23.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 29.3% in 2016. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.4%, and cars that plug in 4.6%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 79.7% | 19.9% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 76.9% | 22.6% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 74.9% | 24.5% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 73.8% | 25.4% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 71.9% | 27.2% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 71.0% | 28.0% | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 69.4% | 29.3% | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2017 | 69.4% | 29.1% | 1.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 69.9% | 28.2% | 1.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 70.2% | 27.7% | 1.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2020 | 69.2% | 28.2% | 2.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | 68.3% | 27.7% | 3.0% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 66.8% | 27.6% | 3.9% | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| 2023 | 65.9% | 27.4% | 4.9% | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| 2024 | 64.7% | 26.1% | 6.4% | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| 2025 | 63.1% | 24.9% | 8.1% | 2.0% | 1.6% |
| 2026 | 61.1% | 23.6% | 10.4% | 2.9% | 1.7% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Eastbourne
1,382 battery electric cars were licensed in Eastbourne at the end of June 2026, 2.9% of all cars, 63rd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,193 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 948.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.2% are battery electric (984 cars), 6th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 28.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.9% of its cars overall. There are also 136 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.
| Year | Eastbourne | South East | United 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 | 1.0% | 2.2% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.4% | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.0% | 6.4% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 2.9% | 9.3% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Eastbourne
There were 121 public chargers in Eastbourne on 1 July 2026, 47 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 116 for every 100,000 residents, 125th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 5.2% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 13.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Eastbourne (UK 12.9), 119th fewest of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.
Public chargers
| Date | All public chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 115 | 41 |
| Apr 2026 | 114 | 40 |
| Jul 2026 | 121 | 47 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Eastbourne | 116 | 45 |
| East Sussex | 101 | 27 |
| South East | 159 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Eastbourne 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, 3.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastbourne 004 | 4,118 | 124 | 3.0% | |
| Eastbourne 006 | 4,653 | 139 | 3.0% | |
| Eastbourne 008 | 3,205 | 89 | 2.8% | |
| Eastbourne 012 | 3,484 | 90 | 2.6% | |
| Eastbourne 014 | 3,978 | 101 | 2.5% | |
| Eastbourne 003 | 4,325 | 72 | 1.7% | |
| Eastbourne 011 | 2,844 | 48 | 1.7% | |
| Eastbourne 013 | 4,930 | 84 | 1.7% | |
| Eastbourne 001 | 3,906 | 61 | 1.6% | |
| Eastbourne 002 | 3,848 | 48 | 1.2% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Eastbourne 009 | 3,959 | 38 | 1.0% | |
| Eastbourne 002 | 3,848 | 48 | 1.2% | |
| Eastbourne 001 | 3,906 | 61 | 1.6% | |
| Eastbourne 013 | 4,930 | 84 | 1.7% | |
| Eastbourne 011 | 2,844 | 48 | 1.7% | |
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 Eastbourne
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 178 | 60 |
| 2022 | 177 | 35 |
| 2023 | 166 | 39 |
| 2024 | 179 | 52 |
| 2025 | 166 | 48 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Eastbourne
Unleaded petrol averages 171.1p a litre across 6 filling stations in Eastbourne, 0.4p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Esso MFG Langney Eastbourne 169.9p
- MFG Morrisons Eastbourne Eastbourne 169.9p
- Sainsbury's Hampden Park Eastbourne 169.9p
How Eastbourne compares
| Eastbourne | 428 | 2.9% | 116 |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Sussex | 511 | 3.4% | 101 |
| South East | 499 | 9.3% | 159 |
| England | 440 | 6.2% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 444 | 5.8% | 175 |
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 Eastbourne
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Eastbourne, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 55.4% at Eastbourne.
Other centres in East 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 East Sussex
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 56,957 licensed vehicles in Eastbourne | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 2,689 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 Eastbourne 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.