South East · District council

Horsham motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
111,237 licensed vehicles in Horsham
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 90,890 +0.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 580 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 3,607 4.0% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.4% 80th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 296 195 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 3.4% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Horsham?

There were 90,890 licensed cars in Horsham at the end of March 2026, and 111,237 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 580 for every 1,000 residents, 16th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Horsham

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Horsham at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 90,30975,977
2011 91,24876,904
2012 92,13677,421
2013 91,88477,717
2014 93,79179,275
2015 95,76280,772
2016 98,32882,633
2017 100,74684,414
2018 102,47385,517
2019 104,44086,944
2020 105,91388,188
2021 106,54988,007
2022 108,34688,910
2023 109,58089,560
2024 110,49990,224
2025 110,90690,714
2026 111,23790,890

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, Horsham compared
Year HorshamSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 588534
2012 588535
2013 591541
2014 598547
2015 601551473
2016 602559480
2017 609567488
2018 611570490
2019 613572493
2020 605561489
2021 604564493
2022 601565489
2023 603567489
2024 599570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Horsham

60.7% of cars in Horsham run on petrol and 25.3% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.3% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.5%, and cars that plug in 6.1%.

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 Horsham, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.4%25.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2011 72.6%26.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 70.9%28.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.4%29.9%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 67.9%31.4%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.4%32.8%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2016 65.3%33.7%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2017 64.4%34.3%0.9%0.1%0.1%
2018 64.2%34.2%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2019 64.6%33.4%1.3%0.3%0.3%
2020 64.6%32.9%1.5%0.4%0.4%
2021 64.2%32.5%1.9%0.6%0.6%
2022 63.5%31.6%2.7%1.1%0.8%
2023 63.1%30.4%3.5%1.7%1.1%
2024 62.6%28.8%4.5%2.3%1.4%
2025 61.9%27.0%6.0%3.0%1.7%
2026 60.7%25.3%7.5%4.0%2.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Horsham

3,607 battery electric cars were licensed in Horsham at the end of March 2026, 4.0% of all cars, 117th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,548 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,741.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.4% are battery electric (2,999 cars), 22nd highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 16.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.4% of its cars overall. There are also 130 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, Horsham compared, end of March each year
Year HorshamSouth EastUnited 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 0.4%0.5%0.3%
2021 0.6%1.0%0.7%
2022 1.1%1.9%1.3%
2023 1.7%3.0%2.1%
2024 2.3%4.2%3.0%
2025 3.0%5.7%4.1%
2026 4.0%8.7%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Horsham

There were 296 public chargers in Horsham on 1 July 2026, 51 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 195 for every 100,000 residents, 95th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 9.6% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 16.4 privately kept plug-in cars in Horsham (UK 11.9), 171st most 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 Horsham by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 27045
Apr 2026 28945
Jul 2026 29651

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Horsham compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Horsham 19534
West Sussex 19335
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Horsham has 16 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.0% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.9%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Horsham with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Horsham 008 5,886 230 3.9% 6.3%
Horsham 007 6,546 247 3.8% 5.7%
Horsham 002 7,561 279 3.7% 5.6%
Horsham 012 6,030 214 3.5% 6.0%
Horsham 001 7,362 252 3.4% 5.3%
Horsham 011 4,541 140 3.1% 4.8%
Horsham 014 6,268 196 3.1% 4.8%
Horsham 010 9,038 272 3.0% 4.3%
Horsham 003 5,466 157 2.9% 4.4%
Horsham 005 5,580 163 2.9% 5.1%
Lowest electric shares
Horsham 006 5,419 124 2.3% 3.6%
Horsham 004 4,543 108 2.4% 3.8%
Horsham 013 6,984 174 2.5% 3.9%
Horsham 009 6,511 163 2.5% 4.2%
Horsham 016 6,124 166 2.7% 4.0%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Horsham

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Horsham, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 24477
2022 305100
2023 28471
2024 28275
2025 29195

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Horsham

Unleaded petrol averages 172.8p a litre across 19 filling stations in Horsham, 1.1p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.6p, 1.0p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. BP Storrington Storrington 168.9p
  2. Esso MFG Upper Beeding Upper Beeding 169.9p
  3. Texaco Southwater Service Station Horsham 170.9p

Every filling station and price in Horsham

How Horsham compares

Horsham compared with West Sussex, the South East, England, the UK
Horsham 580 4.0% 3.4% 3.4% 195 16.4
West Sussex 518 3.5% 2.9% 4.0% 193 12.4
South East 496 8.7% 3.2% 18.1% 159 16.9
England 437 5.8% 2.9% 10.6% 173 12.4
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 West Sussex

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

Councils in West Sussex
Mid Sussex 531 4.1% 3.5% 5.0% 176 17.8
Horsham 580 4.0% 3.4% 3.4% 195 16.4
Chichester 557 3.5% 2.9% 4.0% 173 14.7
Worthing 465 3.1% 2.5% 3.5% 255 7.1
Arun 529 3.0% 2.5% 3.3% 166 12.8
Crawley 433 3.0% 2.3% 4.9% 223 6.9
Adur 473 2.9% 2.4% 4.0% 168 10.0

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 111,237 licensed vehicles in Horsham 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 5,739 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 Horsham 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.