South West · District council
Exeter motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Exeter, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Exeter compares with the South West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 74,677 +13.2% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 357 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 3,858 5.2% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.8% 140th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 359 259 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 33.8% UK 10.0%
Company fleets. 33.8% of cars registered in Exeter have a company as their keeper, against 10.0% across the UK. DVLA counts company cars at the company’s registered address, so leasing and rental fleets land where those firms are based and move when they move. The figures for privately kept cars are the better guide to local drivers.
How many cars are there in Exeter?
There were 74,677 licensed cars in Exeter at the end of June 2026, and 99,753 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 33.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 357 for every 1,000 residents, 43rd lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Exeter
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70,720 | 56,136 |
| 2011 | 74,212 | 58,334 |
| 2012 | 73,337 | 57,762 |
| 2013 | 77,577 | 60,929 |
| 2014 | 78,277 | 61,912 |
| 2015 | 79,096 | 62,087 |
| 2016 | 80,365 | 63,389 |
| 2017 | 81,982 | 64,965 |
| 2018 | 89,789 | 71,987 |
| 2019 | 90,200 | 71,015 |
| 2020 | 78,430 | 61,172 |
| 2021 | 83,152 | 63,156 |
| 2022 | 83,237 | 63,919 |
| 2023 | 85,454 | 65,143 |
| 2024 | 87,274 | 65,095 |
| 2025 | 88,679 | 65,957 |
| 2026 | 99,753 | 74,677 |
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 | Exeter | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 498 | 524 | – |
| 2012 | 490 | 527 | – |
| 2013 | 512 | 533 | – |
| 2014 | 517 | 541 | – |
| 2015 | 511 | 546 | 473 |
| 2016 | 514 | 550 | 480 |
| 2017 | 521 | 565 | 488 |
| 2018 | 572 | 569 | 490 |
| 2019 | 562 | 580 | 493 |
| 2020 | 480 | 573 | 489 |
| 2021 | 488 | 575 | 493 |
| 2022 | 475 | 571 | 489 |
| 2023 | 480 | 570 | 489 |
| 2024 | 470 | 571 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Exeter
45.9% of cars in Exeter run on petrol and 23.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 45.1% in 2015. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 17.0%, and cars that plug in 13.2%.
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 | 68.0% | 31.7% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 60.7% | 39.0% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 59.0% | 40.7% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 57.5% | 42.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 58.2% | 41.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 54.1% | 45.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| 2016 | 56.8% | 42.2% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 54.4% | 44.5% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 2018 | 57.8% | 40.7% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| 2019 | 62.4% | 35.4% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| 2020 | 61.8% | 35.4% | 1.0% | 0.3% | 1.4% |
| 2021 | 59.2% | 34.3% | 2.7% | 0.7% | 1.9% |
| 2022 | 60.3% | 32.2% | 3.6% | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| 2023 | 59.5% | 30.3% | 4.1% | 1.7% | 3.0% |
| 2024 | 57.3% | 28.8% | 7.0% | 3.2% | 2.8% |
| 2025 | 52.4% | 26.8% | 12.7% | 3.5% | 4.3% |
| 2026 | 45.9% | 23.6% | 17.0% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Exeter
3,858 battery electric cars were licensed in Exeter at the end of June 2026, 5.2% of all cars, 40th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 9,870 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,292.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.8% are battery electric (1,371 cars), 14th lowest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 64.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 33.8% of its cars overall. There are also 564 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 | Exeter | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | 2.3% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | 3.5% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 3.2% | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Exeter
There were 359 public chargers in Exeter on 1 July 2026, 182 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 259 for every 100,000 residents, 49th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 11.1% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 5.6 privately kept plug-in cars in Exeter (UK 12.9), 34th 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 | 323 | 136 |
| Apr 2026 | 331 | 142 |
| Jul 2026 | 359 | 182 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Exeter | 259 | 132 |
| Devon | 176 | 61 |
| South West | 157 | 50 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Exeter has 15 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.1% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.6%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exeter 001 | 3,499 | 127 | 3.6% | |
| Exeter 009 | 2,798 | 94 | 3.4% | |
| Exeter 011 | 7,091 | 238 | 3.4% | |
| Exeter 015 | 5,412 | 182 | 3.4% | |
| Exeter 003 | 6,641 | 202 | 3.0% | |
| Exeter 014 | 3,835 | 97 | 2.5% | |
| Exeter 005 | 3,836 | 83 | 2.2% | |
| Exeter 012 | 4,123 | 83 | 2.0% | |
| Exeter 013 | 3,793 | 69 | 1.8% | |
| Exeter 006 | 2,922 | 50 | 1.7% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Exeter 010 | 3,677 | 36 | 1.0% | |
| Exeter 002 | 2,994 | 34 | 1.1% | |
| Exeter 004 | 1,467 | 20 | 1.4% | |
| Exeter 008 | 2,434 | 42 | 1.7% | |
| Exeter 006 | 2,922 | 50 | 1.7% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.
Road traffic and collisions in Exeter
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 147 | 29 |
| 2022 | 156 | 46 |
| 2023 | 159 | 42 |
| 2024 | 194 | 39 |
| 2025 | 189 | 30 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Exeter
Unleaded petrol averages 178.8p a litre across 10 filling stations in Exeter, 7.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 205.3p, 6.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- BP MFG Birchy Barton Exeter 174.9p
- MFG Morrisons Exeter Exeter 174.9p
- Tesco Exeter Vale Extra Exeter 175.9p
How Exeter compares
| Exeter | 357 | 5.2% | 259 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devon | 520 | 3.5% | 176 |
| South West | 509 | 5.2% | 157 |
| 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 Exeter
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Exeter, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 46.8% at Exeter.
Other centres in Devon:
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 Devon
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Exeter | 357 | 5.2% | 259 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Hams | 572 | 3.9% | 145 |
| East Devon | 546 | 3.4% | 200 |
| Teignbridge | 551 | 3.3% | 147 |
| Mid Devon | 562 | 3.1% | 91 |
| West Devon | 564 | 3.1% | 178 |
| North Devon | 518 | 2.7% | 208 |
| Torridge | 555 | 2.6% | 107 |
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 | 99,753 licensed vehicles in Exeter | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 10,897 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 Exeter 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.