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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.

Last updated
Records analysed
80,644 licensed vehicles in Gloucester
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 67,553 +1.6% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 465 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,240 3.3% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.6% 106th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 207 149 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.6% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Gloucester?

There were 67,553 licensed cars in Gloucester at the end of June 2026, and 80,644 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 15.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 465 for every 1,000 residents, 133rd lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Gloucester

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Gloucester at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 71,40858,638
2011 66,55156,019
2012 90,43575,812
2013 89,42775,618
2014 92,06378,039
2015 91,98578,696
2016 73,26761,690
2017 100,07681,441
2018 112,77691,246
2019 77,93165,821
2020 75,11463,745
2021 76,41464,177
2022 76,64164,081
2023 77,54264,890
2024 78,68865,692
2025 79,44966,483
2026 80,64467,553

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, Gloucester compared
Year GloucesterSouth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 460524–
2012 614527–
2013 605533–
2014 619541–
2015 615546473
2016 476550480
2017 622565488
2018 695569490
2019 500580493
2020 483573489
2021 484575493
2022 479571489
2023 476570489
2024 474571490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Gloucester

56.3% of cars in Gloucester run on petrol and 31.3% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 45.3% in 2015. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.1%, and cars that plug in 4.9%.

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 Gloucester, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 69.4%30.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2011 71.8%27.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 56.8%42.5%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2013 56.3%43.1%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2014 54.4%44.8%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2015 53.6%45.3%0.7%0.0%0.2%
2016 63.4%35.9%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2017 53.1%44.9%0.5%0.1%1.2%
2018 53.9%43.5%0.8%0.1%1.6%
2019 60.1%38.6%0.7%0.2%0.3%
2020 59.9%38.6%0.8%0.3%0.2%
2021 59.5%38.2%1.3%0.5%0.3%
2022 58.8%37.9%1.8%0.8%0.5%
2023 58.4%36.9%2.6%1.2%0.6%
2024 57.9%35.5%3.8%1.7%0.8%
2025 57.5%33.4%5.3%2.3%1.1%
2026 56.3%31.3%7.1%3.3%1.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Gloucester

2,240 battery electric cars were licensed in Gloucester at the end of June 2026, 3.3% of all cars, 112th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,309 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,531.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.6% are battery electric (1,705 cars), 8th lowest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 23.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.6% of its cars overall. There are also 103 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, Gloucester compared, end of March each year
Year GloucesterSouth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.5%1.2%0.8%
2022 0.8%2.3%1.5%
2023 1.2%3.5%2.3%
2024 1.7%4.4%3.2%
2025 2.3%5.4%4.4%
2026 3.3%5.2%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 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 12.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Gloucester (UK 12.9), 115th 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 Gloucester by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 17344
Apr 2026 18644
Jul 2026 20746

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Gloucester compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Gloucester 14933
Gloucestershire 21049
South West 15750
England 17341
UK 17542

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, 2.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Gloucester with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Gloucester 010 5,920 190 3.2% 4.7%
Gloucester 015 8,498 276 3.2% 4.7%
Gloucester 006 4,708 131 2.8% 4.1%
Gloucester 012 3,757 102 2.7% 4.3%
Gloucester 007 7,051 182 2.6% 3.9%
Gloucester 003 3,590 91 2.5% 3.8%
Gloucester 014 4,632 116 2.5% 4.0%
Gloucester 001 5,025 122 2.4% 4.0%
Gloucester 002 4,474 102 2.3% 3.7%
Gloucester 013 3,433 56 1.6% 2.6%
Lowest electric shares
Gloucester 005 3,422 15 0.4% 0.9%
Gloucester 008 3,637 43 1.2% 2.1%
Gloucester 013 3,433 56 1.6% 2.6%
Gloucester 002 4,474 102 2.3% 3.7%
Gloucester 001 5,025 122 2.4% 4.0%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026. 3 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Gloucester

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Gloucester, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 13849
2022 17953
2023 21454
2024 20047
2025 16137

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Gloucester

Unleaded petrol averages 167.3p a litre across 17 filling stations in Gloucester, 4.2p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.3p, 5.4p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Asda Gloucester Supercentre Gloucester 165.7p
  2. Asda Quedgeley Supermarket Quedgeley 165.7p
  3. Gulf Bristol Road Gloucester 165.9p

Every filling station and price in Gloucester

How Gloucester compares

Gloucester compared with Gloucestershire, the South West, England, the UK
Gloucester 465 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 149 12.7
Gloucestershire 541 4.0% 3.5% 3.7% 210 13.7
South West 509 5.2% 2.9% 9.6% 157 14.4
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 Gloucester

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Gloucester, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 47.8% at Gloucester.

Other centres in Gloucestershire:

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 Gloucestershire

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

Councils in Gloucestershire
Stroud 589 4.6% 4.1% 3.3% 199 17.4
Tewkesbury 567 4.5% 3.9% 3.7% 157 21.2
Cotswold 606 4.2% 3.7% 3.7% 310 12.0
Cheltenham 466 3.9% 3.4% 3.5% 272 9.0
Forest of Dean 581 3.4% 3.0% 3.6% 194 13.1
Gloucester 465 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 149 12.7

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 80,644 licensed vehicles in Gloucester 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 3,497 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 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.
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.