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
112,376 licensed vehicles in Horsham
Methodology
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  • Licensed cars 91,479 +0.3% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 583 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 3,895 4.3% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.7% 80th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 296 195 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 3.4% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Horsham?

There were 91,479 licensed cars in Horsham at the end of June 2026, and 112,376 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 583 for every 1,000 residents, 16th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

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 91,16476,588
2011 92,10777,347
2012 92,82077,691
2013 93,06778,486
2014 95,33480,193
2015 97,02881,561
2016 99,42183,178
2017 102,11685,203
2018 103,78086,377
2019 105,57087,616
2020 105,18087,357
2021 108,41789,069
2022 109,43889,417
2023 110,62790,216
2024 111,51090,802
2025 111,88591,242
2026 112,37691,479

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, 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

60.6% of cars in Horsham run on petrol and 24.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.2% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.9%, and cars that plug in 6.5%.

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 Horsham, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.2%25.3%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2011 72.3%27.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 70.6%28.8%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2013 69.1%30.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 67.7%31.6%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.2%32.9%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2016 65.2%33.8%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2017 64.4%34.2%0.9%0.1%0.2%
2018 64.4%33.9%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2019 64.7%33.2%1.4%0.3%0.3%
2020 64.7%32.7%1.6%0.4%0.4%
2021 64.2%32.2%2.1%0.7%0.6%
2022 63.5%31.2%2.9%1.3%0.9%
2023 63.1%30.0%3.6%1.8%1.2%
2024 62.6%28.3%4.8%2.4%1.5%
2025 61.8%26.5%6.3%3.2%1.8%
2026 60.6%24.6%7.9%4.3%2.3%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Horsham

3,895 battery electric cars were licensed in Horsham at the end of June 2026, 4.3% of all cars, 118th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,957 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,936.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.7% are battery electric (3,283 cars), 23rd highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 15.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.4% of its cars overall. There are also 150 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%0.3%0.2%
2020 0.4%0.5%0.4%
2021 0.7%1.1%0.8%
2022 1.3%2.2%1.5%
2023 1.8%3.3%2.3%
2024 2.4%4.5%3.2%
2025 3.2%6.4%4.4%
2026 4.3%9.3%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 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 17.4 privately kept plug-in cars in Horsham (UK 12.9), 179th 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, 3.3% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.3%. 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 5,965 256 4.3% 6.8%
Horsham 007 6,593 279 4.2% 6.3%
Horsham 002 7,592 303 4.0% 6.0%
Horsham 012 6,136 233 3.8% 6.5%
Horsham 001 7,433 273 3.7% 5.7%
Horsham 010 9,128 303 3.3% 4.8%
Horsham 011 4,591 152 3.3% 5.1%
Horsham 014 6,362 208 3.3% 5.0%
Horsham 005 5,689 184 3.2% 5.5%
Horsham 015 7,206 227 3.2% 5.1%
Lowest electric shares
Horsham 006 5,481 133 2.4% 3.7%
Horsham 004 4,586 114 2.5% 4.0%
Horsham 013 7,047 186 2.6% 4.2%
Horsham 009 6,559 179 2.7% 4.4%
Horsham 016 6,159 188 3.1% 4.4%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 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 175.1p a litre across 14 filling stations in Horsham, 3.6p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.5p, 0.8p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

How Horsham compares

Horsham compared with West Sussex, the South East, England, the UK
Horsham 583 4.3% 3.7% 3.4% 195 17.4
West Sussex 521 3.8% 3.2% 4.0% 193 13.6
South East 499 9.3% 3.5% 18.5% 159 17.7
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 Horsham

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Horsham. The nearest centres are elsewhere in West Sussex.

Centres in West Sussex:

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 West Sussex

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

Councils in West Sussex
Mid Sussex 535 4.5% 3.8% 5.0% 176 18.8
Horsham 583 4.3% 3.7% 3.4% 195 17.4
Chichester 562 3.8% 3.2% 4.1% 173 17.0
Worthing 467 3.4% 2.8% 3.6% 255 7.4
Arun 532 3.3% 2.9% 3.3% 166 14.1
Adur 476 3.2% 2.6% 4.1% 168 11.2
Crawley 435 3.2% 2.5% 4.9% 223 8.2

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 112,376 licensed vehicles in Horsham 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 6,176 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 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.