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Folkestone and Hythe motoring statistics

How many cars and electric cars are registered in Folkestone and Hythe, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Folkestone and Hythe compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.

Last updated
Records analysed
71,650 licensed vehicles in Folkestone and Hythe
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 58,526 +0.9% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 498 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 1,770 3.0% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.5% 90th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 237 211 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.3% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Folkestone and Hythe?

There were 58,526 licensed cars in Folkestone and Hythe at the end of June 2026, and 71,650 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 18.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 498 for every 1,000 residents, 168th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Folkestone and Hythe

Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.

Licensed cars and vehicles in Folkestone and Hythe at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 59,20149,507
2011 59,53549,825
2012 59,93250,012
2013 60,51050,549
2014 62,15851,926
2015 62,78952,507
2016 64,14553,478
2017 65,68954,622
2018 66,41255,217
2019 67,35755,765
2020 67,02055,651
2021 68,78256,617
2022 69,09856,528
2023 69,59856,828
2024 70,16357,375
2025 70,90857,985
2026 71,65058,526

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, Folkestone and Hythe compared
Year Folkestone and HytheSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 461534–
2012 462535–
2013 469541–
2014 480547–
2015 485551473
2016 490559480
2017 501567488
2018 503570490
2019 509572493
2020 508561489
2021 515564493
2022 512565489
2023 510567489
2024 510570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Folkestone and Hythe

57.1% of cars in Folkestone and Hythe run on petrol and 30.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.3% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.3%, and cars that plug in 4.8%.

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 Folkestone and Hythe, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 72.5%27.1%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 70.5%29.1%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 68.9%30.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.0%32.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.2%34.2%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.2%36.1%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.0%37.2%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 60.9%38.2%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 60.5%38.3%0.8%0.1%0.2%
2019 60.4%38.3%1.0%0.1%0.2%
2020 59.9%38.3%1.2%0.2%0.2%
2021 59.6%37.8%1.7%0.4%0.4%
2022 59.1%37.0%2.4%0.7%0.6%
2023 58.6%36.0%3.3%1.1%0.8%
2024 58.3%34.5%4.4%1.5%0.9%
2025 58.0%32.6%5.7%2.1%1.3%
2026 57.1%30.5%7.3%3.0%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Folkestone and Hythe

1,770 battery electric cars were licensed in Folkestone and Hythe at the end of June 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 71st lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,809 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,229.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.5% are battery electric (1,424 cars), 10th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 19.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.3% of its cars overall. There are also 58 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, Folkestone and Hythe compared, end of March each year
Year Folkestone and HytheSouth EastUnited 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 0.7%2.2%1.5%
2023 1.1%3.3%2.3%
2024 1.5%4.5%3.2%
2025 2.1%6.4%4.4%
2026 3.0%9.3%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Folkestone and Hythe

There were 237 public chargers in Folkestone and Hythe on 1 July 2026, 82 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 211 for every 100,000 residents, 73rd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 6.8% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 9.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Folkestone and Hythe (UK 12.9), 78th 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 Folkestone and Hythe by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 22263
Apr 2026 22874
Jul 2026 23782

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Folkestone and Hythe compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Folkestone and Hythe 21173
Kent 12844
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Folkestone and Hythe has 14 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.9% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Folkestone and Hythe with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Folkestone and Hythe 008 4,612 183 4.0% 6.2%
Folkestone and Hythe 002 6,264 202 3.2% 5.1%
Folkestone and Hythe 009 5,791 166 2.9% 4.6%
Folkestone and Hythe 006 7,492 210 2.8% 4.4%
Folkestone and Hythe 001 5,148 126 2.4% 4.4%
Folkestone and Hythe 012 5,203 103 2.0% 3.2%
Folkestone and Hythe 003 4,181 79 1.9% 2.7%
Folkestone and Hythe 011 5,444 103 1.9% 3.0%
Folkestone and Hythe 010 3,917 63 1.6% 2.7%
Folkestone and Hythe 015 2,899 45 1.6% 2.8%
Lowest electric shares
Folkestone and Hythe 014 2,236 6 0.3% 1.6%
Folkestone and Hythe 004 3,164 32 1.0% 2.2%
Folkestone and Hythe 013 4,370 53 1.2% 2.3%
Folkestone and Hythe 005 5,273 77 1.5% 2.8%
Folkestone and Hythe 015 2,899 45 1.6% 2.8%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in Folkestone and Hythe

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Folkestone and Hythe, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 21247
2022 20939
2023 21944
2024 16253
2025 20559

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Folkestone and Hythe

Unleaded petrol averages 175.3p a litre across 13 filling stations in Folkestone and Hythe, 3.8p above the UK average. Diesel averages 200.4p, 1.7p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso MFG Central Garage Hythe 171.9p
  2. Palmarsh Service Station Hythe 172.7p
  3. Hythe Service Station Hythe 172.9p

Every filling station and price in Folkestone and Hythe

How Folkestone and Hythe compares

Folkestone and Hythe compared with Kent, the South East, England, the UK
Folkestone and Hythe 498 3.0% 2.5% 4.3% 211 9.9
Kent 498 3.7% 3.1% 4.9% 128 20.1
South East 499 9.3% 3.5% 18.5% 159 17.7
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 Folkestone and Hythe

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Folkestone and Hythe, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 42.4% at Folkestone.

Other centres in Kent:

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 Kent

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

Councils in Kent
Dartford 443 4.5% 3.7% 5.6% 194 14.2
Sevenoaks 554 4.5% 3.9% 4.9% 95 39.0
Tonbridge and Malling 534 4.4% 3.6% 5.9% 128 24.8
Tunbridge Wells 518 4.0% 3.4% 3.8% 113 27.2
Canterbury 458 3.9% 3.1% 4.8% 162 14.1
Ashford 516 3.8% 3.1% 4.7% 145 18.1
Maidstone 520 3.7% 3.1% 4.4% 83 32.5
Gravesham 465 3.2% 2.6% 5.6% 78 28.8
Swale 497 3.2% 2.7% 5.4% 107 20.3
Dover 499 3.0% 2.6% 4.2% 137 15.2
Folkestone and Hythe 498 3.0% 2.5% 4.3% 211 9.9
Thanet 461 2.8% 2.2% 5.0% 98 17.1

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 71,650 licensed vehicles in Folkestone and Hythe 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 2,912 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 Folkestone and Hythe 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.