South West · District council
Gloucester motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Gloucester, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Gloucester compares with the South West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 67,159 +1.7% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 463 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 2,040 3.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.4% 122nd lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 207 149 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.5% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Gloucester?
There were 67,159 licensed cars in Gloucester at the end of March 2026, and 79,912 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 463 for every 1,000 residents, 133rd lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Gloucester
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64,651 | 54,671 |
| 2011 | 72,955 | 59,560 |
| 2012 | 89,886 | 75,476 |
| 2013 | 88,884 | 75,077 |
| 2014 | 91,605 | 77,763 |
| 2015 | 91,258 | 78,153 |
| 2016 | 92,132 | 79,033 |
| 2017 | 97,208 | 79,664 |
| 2018 | 113,743 | 90,691 |
| 2019 | 131,026 | 104,898 |
| 2020 | 75,793 | 64,603 |
| 2021 | 75,448 | 63,709 |
| 2022 | 76,087 | 63,800 |
| 2023 | 76,952 | 64,548 |
| 2024 | 77,892 | 65,201 |
| 2025 | 78,726 | 66,042 |
| 2026 | 79,912 | 67,159 |
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 | Gloucester | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 460 | 524 | – |
| 2012 | 614 | 527 | – |
| 2013 | 605 | 533 | – |
| 2014 | 619 | 541 | – |
| 2015 | 615 | 546 | 473 |
| 2016 | 476 | 550 | 480 |
| 2017 | 622 | 565 | 488 |
| 2018 | 695 | 569 | 490 |
| 2019 | 500 | 580 | 493 |
| 2020 | 483 | 573 | 489 |
| 2021 | 484 | 575 | 493 |
| 2022 | 479 | 571 | 489 |
| 2023 | 476 | 570 | 489 |
| 2024 | 474 | 571 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Gloucester
56.6% of cars in Gloucester run on petrol and 31.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 45.1% in 2015. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.6%, and cars that plug in 4.5%.
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 | 74.1% | 25.7% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 68.0% | 31.5% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 57.3% | 42.0% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 56.5% | 42.9% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 45.0% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 53.9% | 45.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | 53.7% | 45.0% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 2017 | 53.6% | 44.6% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 1.1% |
| 2018 | 53.0% | 44.3% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.7% |
| 2019 | 53.5% | 42.9% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.6% |
| 2020 | 60.0% | 38.6% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | 59.7% | 38.2% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 59.0% | 38.0% | 1.7% | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| 2023 | 58.6% | 37.1% | 2.4% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| 2024 | 58.1% | 35.8% | 3.5% | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| 2025 | 57.6% | 33.9% | 5.0% | 2.1% | 1.0% |
| 2026 | 56.6% | 31.9% | 6.6% | 3.0% | 1.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Gloucester
2,040 battery electric cars were licensed in Gloucester at the end of March 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 110th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,997 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,418.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.4% are battery electric (1,510 cars), 11th lowest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 26.0% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.5% of its cars overall. There are also 95 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 | Gloucester | 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 | 1.0% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | 3.2% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.6% | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | 5.2% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 3.0% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Gloucester
There were 207 public chargers in Gloucester on 1 July 2026, 46 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 149 for every 100,000 residents, 162nd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 19.7% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 12.6 privately kept plug-in cars in Gloucester (UK 11.9), 132nd 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 | 173 | 44 |
| Apr 2026 | 186 | 44 |
| Jul 2026 | 207 | 46 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucester | 149 | 33 |
| Gloucestershire | 210 | 49 |
| South West | 157 | 50 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Gloucester has 15 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.2% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester 010 | 5,892 | 175 | 3.0% | |
| Gloucester 015 | 8,418 | 249 | 3.0% | |
| Gloucester 003 | 3,542 | 88 | 2.5% | |
| Gloucester 006 | 4,703 | 113 | 2.4% | |
| Gloucester 007 | 7,025 | 157 | 2.2% | |
| Gloucester 012 | 3,737 | 84 | 2.2% | |
| Gloucester 014 | 4,586 | 102 | 2.2% | |
| Gloucester 001 | 5,018 | 104 | 2.1% | |
| Gloucester 002 | 4,413 | 85 | 1.9% | |
| Gloucester 011 | 5,019 | 86 | 1.7% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Gloucester 005 | 3,353 | 16 | 0.5% | |
| Gloucester 008 | 3,593 | 37 | 1.0% | |
| Gloucester 013 | 3,437 | 53 | 1.5% | |
| Gloucester 011 | 5,019 | 86 | 1.7% | |
| Gloucester 002 | 4,413 | 85 | 1.9% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 2 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.
Road traffic and collisions in Gloucester
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 138 | 49 |
| 2022 | 179 | 53 |
| 2023 | 214 | 54 |
| 2024 | 200 | 47 |
| 2025 | 161 | 37 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Gloucester
Unleaded petrol averages 165.9p a litre across 20 filling stations in Gloucester, 5.8p below the UK average. Diesel averages 189.8p, 4.8p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Asda Quedgeley Supermarket Quedgeley 160.7p
- Tesco Gloucester Quedgeley Extra Gloucester 161.9p
- Sainsbury's Gloucester Quays Gloucester 161.9p
How Gloucester compares
| Gloucester | 463 | 3.0% | 149 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 537 | 3.7% | 210 |
| South West | 506 | 4.9% | 157 |
| 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 Gloucestershire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Stroud | 585 | 4.2% | 199 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tewkesbury | 564 | 4.1% | 157 |
| Cotswold | 602 | 4.0% | 310 |
| Cheltenham | 464 | 3.6% | 272 |
| Forest of Dean | 576 | 3.1% | 194 |
| Gloucester | 463 | 3.0% | 149 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 79,912 licensed vehicles in Gloucester | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 3,162 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 Gloucester 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.