South East · District council
Elmbridge motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Elmbridge, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Elmbridge compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 78,246 +0.1% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 528 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 4,496 5.7% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 4.5% 11th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 257 181 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.2% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Elmbridge?
There were 78,246 licensed cars in Elmbridge at the end of March 2026, and 88,221 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 2.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 528 for every 1,000 residents, 100th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Elmbridge
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87,669 | 76,723 |
| 2011 | 88,755 | 77,853 |
| 2012 | 91,136 | 79,015 |
| 2013 | 92,555 | 79,714 |
| 2014 | 94,325 | 81,281 |
| 2015 | 94,577 | 81,391 |
| 2016 | 95,688 | 82,196 |
| 2017 | 95,013 | 82,237 |
| 2018 | 94,606 | 81,729 |
| 2019 | 95,752 | 81,965 |
| 2020 | 94,896 | 81,232 |
| 2021 | 92,953 | 79,307 |
| 2022 | 93,233 | 79,425 |
| 2023 | 93,481 | 79,525 |
| 2024 | 88,614 | 78,064 |
| 2025 | 88,239 | 78,192 |
| 2026 | 88,221 | 78,246 |
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.
| Year | Elmbridge | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 595 | 534 | – |
| 2012 | 597 | 535 | – |
| 2013 | 600 | 541 | – |
| 2014 | 600 | 547 | – |
| 2015 | 599 | 551 | 473 |
| 2016 | 597 | 559 | 480 |
| 2017 | 601 | 567 | 488 |
| 2018 | 597 | 570 | 490 |
| 2019 | 596 | 572 | 493 |
| 2020 | 579 | 561 | 489 |
| 2021 | 573 | 564 | 493 |
| 2022 | 568 | 565 | 489 |
| 2023 | 563 | 567 | 489 |
| 2024 | 550 | 570 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Elmbridge
65.0% of cars in Elmbridge run on petrol and 16.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.1% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.4%, and cars that plug in 9.6%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.0% | 23.2% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 73.8% | 25.2% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 71.4% | 27.5% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 69.1% | 29.8% | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 66.8% | 32.0% | 1.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | 33.1% | 1.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | 64.5% | 33.6% | 1.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2017 | 63.7% | 34.1% | 1.5% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2018 | 63.9% | 33.4% | 1.7% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| 2019 | 64.6% | 32.3% | 1.9% | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| 2020 | 65.9% | 30.2% | 2.3% | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| 2021 | 65.9% | 28.9% | 2.8% | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| 2022 | 65.7% | 26.9% | 3.6% | 1.9% | 1.6% |
| 2023 | 66.0% | 24.0% | 4.6% | 2.9% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 67.1% | 20.5% | 5.3% | 4.0% | 2.6% |
| 2025 | 66.1% | 18.3% | 6.8% | 5.2% | 3.1% |
| 2026 | 65.0% | 16.5% | 8.4% | 5.7% | 3.9% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Elmbridge
4,496 battery electric cars were licensed in Elmbridge at the end of March 2026, 5.7% of all cars, 24th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 7,527 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 4,077.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.5% are battery electric (3,378 cars), 2nd highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 24.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.2% of its cars overall. There are also 161 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 | Elmbridge | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 5.7% | 8.7% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Elmbridge
There were 257 public chargers in Elmbridge on 1 July 2026, 119 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 181 for every 100,000 residents, 111th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 16.3% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 30.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Elmbridge (UK 11.9), 34th most 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 | 221 | 95 |
| Apr 2026 | 195 | 94 |
| Jul 2026 | 257 | 119 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Elmbridge | 181 | 84 |
| Surrey | 185 | 35 |
| South East | 159 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Elmbridge has 18 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 4.4% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 6.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmbridge 013 | 4,616 | 284 | 6.2% | |
| Elmbridge 018 | 5,984 | 363 | 6.1% | |
| Elmbridge 002 | 3,846 | 199 | 5.2% | |
| Elmbridge 005 | 3,401 | 162 | 4.8% | |
| Elmbridge 016 | 4,488 | 214 | 4.8% | |
| Elmbridge 009 | 5,194 | 240 | 4.6% | |
| Elmbridge 011 | 3,965 | 177 | 4.5% | |
| Elmbridge 017 | 6,223 | 281 | 4.5% | |
| Elmbridge 010 | 4,407 | 196 | 4.4% | |
| Elmbridge 015 | 4,323 | 190 | 4.4% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Elmbridge 004 | 4,167 | 95 | 2.3% | |
| Elmbridge 003 | 3,960 | 91 | 2.3% | |
| Elmbridge 014 | 5,860 | 189 | 3.2% | |
| Elmbridge 001 | 3,598 | 120 | 3.3% | |
| Elmbridge 008 | 4,324 | 150 | 3.5% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Elmbridge
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 252 | 60 |
| 2022 | 322 | 66 |
| 2023 | 282 | 62 |
| 2024 | 280 | 74 |
| 2025 | 264 | 72 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Elmbridge
Unleaded petrol averages 175.6p a litre across 16 filling stations in Elmbridge, 3.9p above the UK average. Diesel averages 197.7p, 3.1p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- BP Molesey Road Service Station Walton-On-Thames 169.9p
- Esso MFG Parkhurst West Molesey 171.9p
- Sainsbury's Cobham Cobham 171.9p
How Elmbridge compares
| Elmbridge | 528 | 5.7% | 181 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 524 | 4.5% | 185 |
| South East | 496 | 8.7% | 159 |
| England | 437 | 5.8% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 441 | 5.4% | 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 March 2026.
Councils in Surrey
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Elmbridge | 528 | 5.7% | 181 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guildford | 499 | 4.8% | 182 |
| Waverley | 565 | 4.7% | 155 |
| Epsom and Ewell | 461 | 4.6% | 131 |
| Mole Valley | 591 | 4.5% | 286 |
| Reigate and Banstead | 498 | 4.4% | 123 |
| Runnymede | 496 | 4.4% | 246 |
| Surrey Heath | 572 | 4.4% | 207 |
| Tandridge | 552 | 4.0% | 138 |
| Woking | 514 | 3.9% | 274 |
| Spelthorne | 493 | 3.2% | 160 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 88,221 licensed vehicles in Elmbridge | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 7,776 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 Elmbridge 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.