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Inverclyde motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
40,169 licensed vehicles in Inverclyde
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 35,489 +0.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 425 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 953 2.7% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.3% 103rd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 187 237 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.6% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Inverclyde?

There were 35,489 licensed cars in Inverclyde at the end of March 2026, and 40,169 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 10.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 425 for every 1,000 residents, 93rd lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Inverclyde

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Inverclyde at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 35,22532,105
2011 35,31632,151
2012 35,26432,018
2013 35,55532,209
2014 36,01432,721
2015 36,57733,147
2016 37,07433,561
2017 37,71934,120
2018 38,00934,378
2019 38,36434,597
2020 38,73035,035
2021 38,82534,795
2022 39,21634,959
2023 39,25034,768
2024 39,54734,961
2025 39,97035,320
2026 40,16935,489

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, Inverclyde compared
Year InverclydeScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 396429–
2012 397430–
2013 401436–
2014 409443–
2015 413446473
2016 420450480
2017 428457488
2018 436461490
2019 439465493
2020 439462489
2021 448469493
2022 446466489
2023 442465489
2024 445468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Inverclyde

60.7% of cars in Inverclyde run on petrol and 26.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 36.8% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.2%, and cars that plug in 4.2%.

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 Inverclyde, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 78.4%21.4%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 76.5%23.3%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 74.5%25.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 72.6%27.1%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 70.6%29.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2015 68.6%31.0%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 66.6%33.0%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2017 64.7%34.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2018 63.2%36.2%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2019 62.6%36.6%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2020 62.1%36.8%0.7%0.2%0.1%
2021 61.9%36.4%1.2%0.3%0.2%
2022 61.6%35.4%1.9%0.5%0.4%
2023 61.7%34.0%2.8%0.8%0.5%
2024 61.6%32.2%4.0%1.3%0.7%
2025 61.3%29.3%6.1%1.9%1.0%
2026 60.7%26.5%8.2%2.7%1.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Inverclyde

953 battery electric cars were licensed in Inverclyde at the end of March 2026, 2.7% of all cars, 69th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 1,491 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 685.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.3% are battery electric (769 cars), 9th lowest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 19.3% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.6% of its cars overall. There are also 61 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, Inverclyde compared, end of March each year
Year InverclydeScotlandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.3%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.5%1.1%1.3%
2023 0.8%1.7%2.1%
2024 1.3%2.3%3.0%
2025 1.9%3.2%4.1%
2026 2.7%4.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Inverclyde

There were 187 public chargers in Inverclyde on 1 July 2026, 78 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 237 for every 100,000 residents, 58th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 5.6% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 6.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Inverclyde (UK 11.9), 47th 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 Inverclyde by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 17776
Apr 2026 18677
Jul 2026 18778

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Inverclyde compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Inverclyde 23799
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in Inverclyde

Vehicles travelled an estimated 326 million miles on roads in Inverclyde in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Inverclyde
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 287
1994 292
1995 297
1996 302
1997 305
1998 309
1999 314
2000 315
2001 321
2002 319
2003 321
2004 326
2005 324
2006 329
2007 333
2008 330
2009 325
2010 316
2011 313
2012 310
2013 309
2014 318
2015 320
2016 328
2017 328
2018 327
2019 335
2020 273
2021 308
2022 327
2023 325
2024 329
2025 326

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Inverclyde, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 3515
2022 3317
2023 3321
2024 4826
2025 3917

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Inverclyde

Unleaded petrol averages 170.2p a litre across 6 filling stations in Inverclyde, 1.5p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.7p, 0.9p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Greenock Extra Greenock 167.9p
  2. MFG Morrisons Greenock Greenock 167.9p
  3. Tesco Port Glasgow Extra Port Glasgow 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Inverclyde

Roadworks in Inverclyde

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 279 sets of roadworks in Inverclyde, of which 97 are under way and 182 are planned. 68 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. Inverclyde Council is behind the most, 165 of them (59.1%). From the extract of 16 September 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • Smith Street, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 5 Aug 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Demolition of Oak Mall and Hector McNeil House

  • Bullring Car Park, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 19 Jan 2028 Inverclyde Council

    Facilitate Bullring Junction Works/Improvements

  • Wallace Place, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 4 Jul 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Demolition of Oak Mall and Hector McNeil House

  • Hunter Place, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 4 Jul 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Demolition of Oak Mall and Hector McNeil House

  • Dalrymple Street, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 4 Jul 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Enabling Advance Works for LUF project (Bullring Removal)

  • Dunrod Road, Inverkip

    Road closed Under way, until 11 Jan 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Emergency Road Closure for landslip

  • Robert Street, Port Glasgow

    Road closed Under way, until 17 Feb 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Emergency Road closure due to dangerous buildings demolition works

  • Wallace Place, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 31 Jul 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Road closure to facilitate Bullring junction works/ improvements

  • Hunter Place, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 31 Jul 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Road closure to facilitate Bullring junction works/ improvements

  • Dalrymple Street, Greenock

    Road closed Under way, until 31 Jul 2027 Inverclyde Council

    Road closure to facilitate Bullring junction works/ improvements

Who is digging

  • Inverclyde Council 165
  • SGN 36
  • BT 32
  • Scottish Water 20
  • SP Energy Networks 14

How traffic is managed

  • Give and take 158
  • Road closed 60
  • Temporary traffic lights 29
  • No obstruction 17
  • Footway only 7

The register publishes one extract a day, so works can start, finish or change after it is taken. Roadworks across Scotland.

Source:SRWR Extract of 2026-09-16 Updated

How Inverclyde compares

Inverclyde compared with Scotland, the UK
Inverclyde 425 2.7% 2.3% 5.6% 237 6.8
Scotland 436 4.2% 3.0% 7.8% 232 8.9
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 Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 468 13.9% 4.1% 32.1% 511 5.6
Renfrewshire 436 11.9% 3.2% 34.9% 243 9.1
East Renfrewshire 473 5.1% 4.5% 4.2% 82 40.4
East Dunbartonshire 481 4.7% 4.1% 4.0% 103 32.8
East Lothian 472 4.5% 4.0% 4.4% 600 5.0
Orkney Islands 490 4.4% 3.8% 5.0% 386 6.9
West Lothian 479 4.4% 3.8% 5.7% 137 22.2
Edinburgh 325 4.2% 3.3% 5.3% 192 8.6
South Lanarkshire 463 4.2% 3.5% 6.2% 182 14.0
Midlothian 461 4.1% 3.7% 5.1% 223 11.6
Perth and Kinross 506 4.0% 3.5% 5.1% 363 7.6
Dundee 371 3.9% 3.0% 6.7% 472 3.3
North Lanarkshire 434 3.6% 3.0% 7.2% 168 12.1
South Ayrshire 482 3.6% 3.0% 5.3% 205 10.5
Aberdeenshire 528 3.5% 3.0% 4.3% 162 17.8
Falkirk 493 3.5% 2.9% 5.4% 163 13.9
Fife 478 3.5% 3.0% 4.9% 132 17.2
Glasgow 307 3.4% 2.2% 9.7% 180 6.2
East Ayrshire 467 3.3% 2.8% 6.0% 229 9.1
North Ayrshire 457 3.2% 2.7% 5.9% 199 9.2
Aberdeen 396 3.1% 2.5% 4.5% 192 9.6
Clackmannanshire 492 3.1% 2.7% 4.9% 205 9.5
Angus 504 3.0% 2.6% 4.7% 221 9.7
Scottish Borders 506 3.0% 2.6% 4.8% 224 9.6
West Dunbartonshire 420 2.8% 2.3% 6.5% 204 7.7
Inverclyde 425 2.7% 2.3% 5.6% 237 6.8
Moray 501 2.6% 2.1% 4.5% 153 11.7
Argyll and Bute 471 2.5% 2.2% 4.7% 396 4.9
Highland 496 2.5% 2.0% 5.0% 387 4.4
Dumfries and Galloway 510 2.2% 1.8% 5.8% 549 2.9
Shetland Islands 471 1.9% 1.4% 9.1% 323 3.9
Na h-Eileanan Siar 500 1.5% 1.2% 4.1% 515 2.4

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 40,169 licensed vehicles in Inverclyde 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 1,655 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Inverclyde 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.
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.