East of England · County
Essex motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Essex, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Essex compares with the East of England. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 849,112 +0.8% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 511 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 31,117 3.7% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.9% UK 3.1%
- Public chargers 1,404 90 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 6.0% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Essex?
There were 849,112 licensed cars in Essex at the end of June 2026, and 1,037,965 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 18.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 511 for every 1,000 residents (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Essex
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 861,930 | 717,056 |
| 2011 | 868,604 | 722,469 |
| 2012 | 875,273 | 729,234 |
| 2013 | 887,648 | 740,061 |
| 2014 | 906,399 | 754,966 |
| 2015 | 921,615 | 766,198 |
| 2016 | 940,125 | 780,403 |
| 2017 | 953,689 | 790,629 |
| 2018 | 960,790 | 796,290 |
| 2019 | 974,325 | 806,507 |
| 2020 | 964,790 | 799,806 |
| 2021 | 986,529 | 811,318 |
| 2022 | 993,767 | 814,027 |
| 2023 | 1,003,815 | 822,592 |
| 2024 | 1,018,329 | 834,289 |
| 2025 | 1,028,564 | 842,284 |
| 2026 | 1,037,965 | 849,112 |
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 | Essex | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 517 | 503 | – |
| 2012 | 518 | 502 | – |
| 2013 | 522 | 505 | – |
| 2014 | 526 | 524 | – |
| 2015 | 529 | 529 | 473 |
| 2016 | 534 | 537 | 480 |
| 2017 | 538 | 544 | 488 |
| 2018 | 539 | 542 | 490 |
| 2019 | 542 | 541 | 493 |
| 2020 | 535 | 536 | 489 |
| 2021 | 539 | 539 | 493 |
| 2022 | 536 | 532 | 489 |
| 2023 | 533 | 529 | 489 |
| 2024 | 534 | 531 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Essex
59.1% of cars in Essex run on petrol and 25.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.6% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.8%, and cars that plug in 6.3%.
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 | 75.2% | 24.4% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 73.7% | 25.9% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 71.8% | 27.7% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 70.4% | 29.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 68.7% | 30.8% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 67.0% | 32.3% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 65.6% | 33.6% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 64.6% | 34.4% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 64.2% | 34.6% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 64.0% | 34.5% | 1.0% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 63.7% | 34.4% | 1.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 63.3% | 33.8% | 1.8% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| 2022 | 62.7% | 32.8% | 2.6% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| 2023 | 62.5% | 31.1% | 3.6% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| 2024 | 61.7% | 29.1% | 5.4% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| 2025 | 60.5% | 27.3% | 7.2% | 2.7% | 2.0% |
| 2026 | 59.1% | 25.5% | 8.8% | 3.7% | 2.6% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Essex
31,117 battery electric cars were licensed in Essex at the end of June 2026, 3.7% of all cars. With plug-in hybrids, 53,252 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 22,609.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.9% are battery electric (23,293 cars). Companies keep 25.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.0% of its cars overall. There are also 1,302 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 | Essex | East of England | United 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 | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | 1.9% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | 2.9% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 3.7% | 5.6% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Essex
There were 1,404 public chargers in Essex on 1 July 2026, 702 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 90 for every 100,000 residents, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 9.6% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 28.6 privately kept plug-in cars in Essex (UK 12.9). 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 | 1,281 | 655 |
| Apr 2026 | 1,364 | 678 |
| Jul 2026 | 1,404 | 702 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Essex | 90 | 45 |
| East of England | 150 | 49 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Road traffic and collisions in Essex
Vehicles travelled an estimated 9,975 million miles on roads in Essex in 2025.
Traffic on all roads
| Year | Million vehicle miles |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 7,012 |
| 1994 | 7,189 |
| 1995 | 7,333 |
| 1996 | 7,533 |
| 1997 | 7,694 |
| 1998 | 7,797 |
| 1999 | 7,968 |
| 2000 | 7,924 |
| 2001 | 8,050 |
| 2002 | 8,124 |
| 2003 | 8,171 |
| 2004 | 8,407 |
| 2005 | 8,380 |
| 2006 | 8,520 |
| 2007 | 8,827 |
| 2008 | 8,736 |
| 2009 | 8,756 |
| 2010 | 8,456 |
| 2011 | 8,549 |
| 2012 | 8,587 |
| 2013 | 8,594 |
| 2014 | 8,926 |
| 2015 | 9,103 |
| 2016 | 9,242 |
| 2017 | 9,642 |
| 2018 | 9,540 |
| 2019 | 9,564 |
| 2020 | 7,676 |
| 2021 | 8,513 |
| 2022 | 9,410 |
| 2023 | 9,686 |
| 2024 | 9,708 |
| 2025 | 9,975 |
Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,260 | 607 |
| 2022 | 2,377 | 677 |
| 2023 | 2,299 | 633 |
| 2024 | 2,313 | 613 |
| 2025 | 2,344 | 713 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Essex
Unleaded petrol averages 172.8p a litre across 132 filling stations in Essex, 1.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.7p, 1.0p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Gulf Mayland Naservice Stations Chelmsford 163.9p
- Shell Londonforecourt Limited Braintree 165.9p
- Sainsbury's Braintree Braintree 165.9p
How Essex compares
| Essex | 511 | 3.7% | 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| East of England | 501 | 5.6% | 150 |
| 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 Essex
There are 6 DVSA car practical test centres in Essex, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 55.4% at Chelmsford.
- Chelmsford 55.4% pass rate, 2025/26
- Colchester 50.6% pass rate, 2025/26
- Basildon 49.1% pass rate, 2025/26
- Brentwood (London) 48.5% pass rate, 2025/26
- Clacton-on-Sea 48.2% pass rate, 2025/26
- Loughton (London) 47.0% pass rate, 2025/26
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 Essex
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Uttlesford | 593 | 4.8% | 164 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epping Forest | 499 | 4.4% | 126 |
| Brentwood | 501 | 4.2% | 97 |
| Chelmsford | 504 | 4.0% | 105 |
| Basildon | 461 | 3.9% | 62 |
| Colchester | 474 | 3.6% | 90 |
| Maldon | 605 | 3.5% | 61 |
| Rochford | 554 | 3.3% | 76 |
| Braintree | 537 | 3.2% | 89 |
| Harlow | 444 | 3.2% | 74 |
| Tendring | 513 | 2.8% | 84 |
| Castle Point | 534 | 2.7% | 42 |
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 | 1,037,965 licensed vehicles in Essex | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 56,449 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 |
- Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Essex 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.
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.