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Gwynedd motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
86,162 licensed vehicles in Gwynedd
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 62,595 +1.1% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 493 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,276 2.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.5% 16th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 471 390 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.8% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Gwynedd?

There were 62,595 licensed cars in Gwynedd at the end of March 2026, and 86,162 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 12.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 493 for every 1,000 residents, 174th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Gwynedd

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Gwynedd at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 72,23355,787
2011 72,34755,758
2012 72,43655,616
2013 72,59755,671
2014 73,24756,144
2015 74,09656,786
2016 75,98357,578
2017 77,18158,258
2018 77,83158,420
2019 78,97559,055
2020 79,26959,399
2021 79,94059,299
2022 81,52659,946
2023 82,29060,176
2024 83,38460,869
2025 84,91561,903
2026 86,16262,595

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.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, Gwynedd compared
Year GwyneddWalesUnited Kingdom
2011 459470–
2012 460471–
2013 467476–
2014 475482–
2015 476486473
2016 485493480
2017 493500488
2018 498504490
2019 504510493
2020 495504489
2021 513513493
2022 509510489
2023 505510489
2024 509514490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Gwynedd

45.5% of cars in Gwynedd run on petrol and 45.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 51.9% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 5.4%, and cars that plug in 3.0%.

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.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in Gwynedd, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 61.0%38.6%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 59.2%40.4%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 57.2%42.4%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2013 55.3%44.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 53.2%46.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2015 51.4%48.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 50.0%49.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2017 48.6%50.7%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 47.5%51.6%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2019 47.2%51.8%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2020 46.9%51.9%0.8%0.2%0.1%
2021 46.6%51.7%1.2%0.2%0.2%
2022 46.1%51.1%1.8%0.5%0.3%
2023 46.1%50.2%2.3%0.7%0.4%
2024 46.0%49.1%3.2%0.9%0.6%
2025 45.8%47.5%4.2%1.5%0.8%
2026 45.5%45.7%5.4%2.0%1.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Gwynedd

1,276 battery electric cars were licensed in Gwynedd at the end of March 2026, 2.0% of all cars, 12th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 1,907 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 914.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.5% are battery electric (875 cars), 3rd lowest of 22 councils in Wales. Companies keep 31.4% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.8% of its cars overall. There are also 278 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, Gwynedd compared, end of March each year
Year GwyneddWalesUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.0%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.1%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.2%0.3%0.7%
2022 0.5%0.6%1.3%
2023 0.7%0.9%2.1%
2024 0.9%1.3%3.0%
2025 1.5%2.0%4.1%
2026 2.0%2.8%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Gwynedd

There were 471 public chargers in Gwynedd on 1 July 2026, 55 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 390 for every 100,000 residents, 21st highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 0.8% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 3.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Gwynedd (UK 11.9), 12th 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 Gwynedd by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 47542
Apr 2026 47547
Jul 2026 47155

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Gwynedd compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Gwynedd 39046
Wales 18643
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Gwynedd has 17 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 1.7%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Gwynedd with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Gwynedd 004 4,456 74 1.7% 2.3%
Gwynedd 005 4,882 79 1.6% 2.2%
Gwynedd 003 5,581 79 1.4% 2.0%
Gwynedd 007 4,244 58 1.4% 2.1%
Gwynedd 008 5,544 77 1.4% 1.8%
Gwynedd 017 4,915 65 1.3% 2.3%
Gwynedd 002 4,075 50 1.2% 2.2%
Gwynedd 006 4,287 51 1.2% 1.8%
Gwynedd 011 4,980 60 1.2% 2.0%
Gwynedd 014 4,525 53 1.2% 2.0%
Lowest electric shares
Gwynedd 001 2,239 10 0.4% 1.0%
Gwynedd 012 5,023 38 0.8% 1.8%
Gwynedd 009 3,951 30 0.8% 1.1%
Gwynedd 015 4,188 36 0.9% 1.7%
Gwynedd 013 4,182 39 0.9% 2.2%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Gwynedd

Vehicles travelled an estimated 899 million miles on roads in Gwynedd in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Gwynedd
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 640
1994 661
1995 677
1996 697
1997 711
1998 714
1999 694
2000 699
2001 708
2002 733
2003 754
2004 762
2005 781
2006 810
2007 799
2008 805
2009 797
2010 790
2011 782
2012 772
2013 783
2014 801
2015 822
2016 854
2017 877
2018 881
2019 882
2020 656
2021 744
2022 835
2023 853
2024 872
2025 899

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Gwynedd, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 13361
2022 16480
2023 14669
2024 8650
2025 10567

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Gwynedd

Unleaded petrol averages 171.4p a litre across 32 filling stations in Gwynedd, 0.3p below the UK average. Diesel averages 195.3p, 0.7p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Texaco Caer Service Station Caernarfon 166.9p
  2. Murco Clynnog Service Station Caernarfon 166.9p
  3. Texaco Bryn Llwyd Services Bangor 167.9p

Every filling station and price in Gwynedd

How Gwynedd compares

Gwynedd compared with Wales, the UK
Gwynedd 493 2.0% 1.5% 4.8% 390 3.0
Wales 490 2.8% 2.1% 6.2% 186 9.0
United Kingdom4415.4%2.8%9.9%17511.9

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 March 2026.

Councils in Wales

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

Councils in Wales
Bridgend 486 4.3% 2.7% 10.1% 146 14.0
Monmouthshire 578 3.7% 3.2% 4.4% 283 10.6
Vale of Glamorgan 512 3.5% 3.0% 4.6% 139 16.9
Swansea 485 3.4% 2.0% 10.1% 154 11.0
Newport 457 3.2% 2.5% 5.5% 303 6.3
Cardiff 383 3.1% 2.4% 6.4% 118 13.1
Denbighshire 504 3.0% 2.1% 6.3% 179 8.9
Flintshire 555 2.9% 2.3% 4.8% 118 16.3
Conwy 514 2.7% 2.0% 5.7% 152 10.6
Torfaen 496 2.6% 1.9% 6.2% 155 9.5
Carmarthenshire 527 2.5% 1.9% 6.1% 216 7.4
Neath Port Talbot 474 2.5% 1.8% 6.8% 73 33.3
Caerphilly 495 2.4% 1.8% 5.7% 108 14.3
Wrexham 502 2.4% 1.8% 4.9% 204 8.6
Ceredigion 511 2.3% 1.9% 4.6% 306 4.8
Pembrokeshire 535 2.3% 1.8% 5.5% 365 4.1
Powys 549 2.3% 1.8% 5.1% 270 5.9
Rhondda Cynon Taf 470 2.3% 1.8% 6.0% 121 11.3
Isle of Anglesey 552 2.2% 1.6% 4.3% 245 5.7
Gwynedd 493 2.0% 1.5% 4.8% 390 3.0
Merthyr Tydfil 451 2.0% 1.5% 6.6% 139 9.0
Blaenau Gwent 499 1.7% 1.3% 5.3% 228 4.5

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 86,162 licensed vehicles in Gwynedd 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,224 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 Gwynedd 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.