South East · District council
Guildford motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Guildford, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Guildford compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 79,194 +0.4% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 499 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 3,791 4.8% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 4.1% 22nd highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 276 182 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.7% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Guildford?
There were 79,194 licensed cars in Guildford at the end of March 2026, and 93,818 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 8.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 499 for every 1,000 residents, 160th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Guildford
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85,843 | 73,327 |
| 2011 | 86,837 | 74,243 |
| 2012 | 87,229 | 74,682 |
| 2013 | 87,967 | 75,454 |
| 2014 | 88,204 | 75,831 |
| 2015 | 89,038 | 76,364 |
| 2016 | 90,302 | 77,164 |
| 2017 | 91,008 | 77,668 |
| 2018 | 91,070 | 77,504 |
| 2019 | 91,012 | 77,712 |
| 2020 | 90,802 | 77,687 |
| 2021 | 89,686 | 76,509 |
| 2022 | 91,632 | 77,579 |
| 2023 | 92,713 | 78,172 |
| 2024 | 93,508 | 78,792 |
| 2025 | 93,370 | 78,843 |
| 2026 | 93,818 | 79,194 |
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 | Guildford | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 542 | 534 | – |
| 2012 | 544 | 535 | – |
| 2013 | 547 | 541 | – |
| 2014 | 547 | 547 | – |
| 2015 | 542 | 551 | 473 |
| 2016 | 539 | 559 | 480 |
| 2017 | 543 | 567 | 488 |
| 2018 | 546 | 570 | 490 |
| 2019 | 547 | 572 | 493 |
| 2020 | 537 | 561 | 489 |
| 2021 | 537 | 564 | 493 |
| 2022 | 535 | 565 | 489 |
| 2023 | 526 | 567 | 489 |
| 2024 | 522 | 570 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Guildford
61.6% of cars in Guildford run on petrol and 22.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 33.6% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.2%, and cars that plug in 7.4%.
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 | 76.2% | 23.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 74.1% | 25.2% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 72.1% | 27.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 70.1% | 29.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 68.6% | 30.4% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 67.2% | 31.7% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 65.8% | 32.9% | 1.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 64.8% | 33.6% | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 64.6% | 33.3% | 1.4% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 64.9% | 32.7% | 1.5% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| 2020 | 64.9% | 32.1% | 1.8% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 31.2% | 2.3% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 64.2% | 30.1% | 3.0% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| 2023 | 63.9% | 28.5% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 63.5% | 26.4% | 5.1% | 2.9% | 1.8% |
| 2025 | 62.7% | 24.4% | 6.6% | 3.7% | 2.2% |
| 2026 | 61.6% | 22.4% | 8.2% | 4.8% | 2.7% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Guildford
3,791 battery electric cars were licensed in Guildford at the end of March 2026, 4.8% of all cars, 45th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,897 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,919.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.1% are battery electric (3,084 cars), 7th highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 18.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.7% of its cars overall. There are also 117 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 | Guildford | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.4% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | 3.0% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 2.9% | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 3.7% | 5.7% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 4.8% | 8.7% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Guildford
There were 276 public chargers in Guildford on 1 July 2026, 60 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 182 for every 100,000 residents, 109th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 33.3% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 19.6 privately kept plug-in cars in Guildford (UK 11.9), 120th most 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 | 207 | 49 |
| Apr 2026 | 252 | 57 |
| Jul 2026 | 276 | 60 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Guildford | 182 | 40 |
| Surrey | 185 | 35 |
| South East | 159 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Guildford has 18 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.6% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.9%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guildford 016 | 3,535 | 210 | 5.9% | |
| Guildford 011 | 5,810 | 316 | 5.4% | |
| Guildford 003 | 7,940 | 390 | 4.9% | |
| Guildford 015 | 2,854 | 134 | 4.7% | |
| Guildford 014 | 6,243 | 278 | 4.5% | |
| Guildford 017 | 5,986 | 256 | 4.3% | |
| Guildford 001 | 6,680 | 261 | 3.9% | |
| Guildford 002 | 4,473 | 164 | 3.7% | |
| Guildford 008 | 4,972 | 180 | 3.6% | |
| Guildford 013 | 4,729 | 171 | 3.6% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Guildford 012 | 2,419 | 42 | 1.7% | |
| Guildford 007 | 3,434 | 77 | 2.2% | |
| Guildford 009 | 3,043 | 71 | 2.3% | |
| Guildford 010 | 4,154 | 104 | 2.5% | |
| Guildford 004 | 4,934 | 125 | 2.5% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Guildford
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 369 | 95 |
| 2022 | 409 | 125 |
| 2023 | 356 | 106 |
| 2024 | 314 | 90 |
| 2025 | 337 | 106 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Guildford
Unleaded petrol averages 174.2p a litre across 20 filling stations in Guildford, 2.5p above the UK average. Diesel averages 197.0p, 2.4p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Jet Tilthams Service Station Aldershot 167.9p
- Esso Asda Bellfields Express Petrol Guildford 171.9p
- Esso MFG Woodbridge Hill Guildford 171.9p
How Guildford compares
| Guildford | 499 | 4.8% | 182 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 524 | 4.5% | 185 |
| South East | 496 | 8.7% | 159 |
| 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 Surrey
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Elmbridge | 528 | 5.7% | 181 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guildford | 499 | 4.8% | 182 |
| Waverley | 565 | 4.7% | 155 |
| Epsom and Ewell | 461 | 4.6% | 131 |
| Mole Valley | 591 | 4.5% | 286 |
| Reigate and Banstead | 498 | 4.4% | 123 |
| Runnymede | 496 | 4.4% | 246 |
| Surrey Heath | 572 | 4.4% | 207 |
| Tandridge | 552 | 4.0% | 138 |
| Woking | 514 | 3.9% | 274 |
| Spelthorne | 493 | 3.2% | 160 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 93,818 licensed vehicles in Guildford | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 6,111 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 Guildford 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.