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Isle of Wight motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
95,985 licensed vehicles in Isle of Wight
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 73,587 +0.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 498 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,914 2.6% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.1% 76th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 191 135 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.2% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in the Isle of Wight?

There were 73,587 licensed cars in the Isle of Wight at the end of March 2026, and 95,985 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 13.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 498 for every 1,000 residents, 163rd highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in the Isle of Wight

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in the Isle of Wight at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 82,34065,025
2011 82,95265,482
2012 83,44865,777
2013 83,66566,045
2014 84,81666,943
2015 85,72267,607
2016 87,46768,872
2017 89,57370,365
2018 90,19971,045
2019 91,69871,892
2020 92,15172,369
2021 92,70472,124
2022 94,14272,734
2023 94,42272,692
2024 95,07873,033
2025 95,52073,447
2026 95,98573,587

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, the Isle of Wight compared
Year Isle of WightSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 476534–
2012 477535–
2013 483541–
2014 488547–
2015 490551473
2016 497559480
2017 502567488
2018 505570490
2019 511572493
2020 508561489
2021 519564493
2022 519565489
2023 518567489
2024 519570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in the Isle of Wight

64.3% of cars in the Isle of Wight run on petrol and 25.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 27.5% in 2022. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.1%, and cars that plug in 3.7%.

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 the Isle of Wight, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 80.1%19.7%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 79.0%20.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 78.1%21.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 76.9%22.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 75.8%23.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 74.7%24.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 73.7%25.8%0.3%0.1%0.1%
2017 72.7%26.6%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 72.1%27.0%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2019 71.9%26.9%0.8%0.2%0.2%
2020 71.3%27.2%1.0%0.3%0.2%
2021 70.3%27.4%1.5%0.4%0.3%
2022 69.1%27.5%2.1%0.8%0.5%
2023 68.3%27.1%2.8%1.1%0.6%
2024 67.0%26.8%3.8%1.5%0.7%
2025 65.6%26.3%4.9%2.0%0.9%
2026 64.3%25.7%6.1%2.6%1.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in the Isle of Wight

1,914 battery electric cars were licensed in the Isle of Wight at the end of March 2026, 2.6% of all cars, 57th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,729 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,479.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.1% are battery electric (1,461 cars), 7th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 23.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.2% of its cars overall. There are also 94 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, the Isle of Wight compared, end of March each year
Year Isle of WightSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.5%0.3%
2021 0.4%1.0%0.7%
2022 0.8%1.9%1.3%
2023 1.1%3.0%2.1%
2024 1.5%4.2%3.0%
2025 2.0%5.7%4.1%
2026 2.6%8.7%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in the Isle of Wight

There were 191 public chargers in the Isle of Wight on 1 July 2026, 36 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 135 for every 100,000 residents, 166th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 4.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 11.2 privately kept plug-in cars in the Isle of Wight (UK 11.9), 106th 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 the Isle of Wight by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 20036
Apr 2026 19636
Jul 2026 19136

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, the Isle of Wight compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Isle of Wight 13525
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

The Isle of Wight has 18 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 2.9%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in the Isle of Wight with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Isle of Wight 002 5,775 167 2.9% 3.8%
Isle of Wight 010 5,295 138 2.6% 3.9%
Isle of Wight 017 4,904 112 2.3% 3.2%
Isle of Wight 018 4,595 107 2.3% 3.4%
Isle of Wight 013 4,679 103 2.2% 3.1%
Isle of Wight 006 4,770 99 2.1% 2.9%
Isle of Wight 005 4,937 98 2.0% 3.1%
Isle of Wight 012 6,508 118 1.8% 2.8%
Isle of Wight 015 5,861 102 1.7% 2.5%
Isle of Wight 016 4,731 74 1.6% 2.3%
Lowest electric shares
Isle of Wight 004 2,779 26 0.9% 1.6%
Isle of Wight 008 5,280 55 1.0% 1.7%
Isle of Wight 014 5,460 61 1.1% 1.9%
Isle of Wight 001 4,190 49 1.2% 2.0%
Isle of Wight 003 4,756 69 1.5% 2.2%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 3 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in the Isle of Wight

Vehicles travelled an estimated 403 million miles on roads in the Isle of Wight in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in the Isle of Wight
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 342
1994 352
1995 359
1996 364
1997 370
1998 371
1999 373
2000 378
2001 382
2002 397
2003 403
2004 406
2005 401
2006 412
2007 410
2008 397
2009 389
2010 386
2011 389
2012 387
2013 386
2014 396
2015 402
2016 409
2017 412
2018 413
2019 417
2020 325
2021 358
2022 389
2023 399
2024 404
2025 403

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in the Isle of Wight, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 24261
2022 27370
2023 23372
2024 22970
2025 23363

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Isle of Wight

Unleaded petrol averages 176.9p a litre across 14 filling stations in Isle of Wight, 5.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.8p, 5.2p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Ryde Extra Ryde 171.9p
  2. Asda Newport Isle of Wight Superstore Newport 172.7p
  3. MFG Morrisons Isle of Wight Lake Sandown 172.9p

Every filling station and price in Isle of Wight

How the Isle of Wight compares

Isle of Wight compared with the South East, England, the UK
Isle of Wight 498 2.6% 2.1% 4.2% 135 11.2
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 the South East

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

Councils in the South East
Windsor and Maidenhead 518 38.0% 3.8% 83.1% 150 23.3
Milton Keynes 455 26.5% 4.4% 61.6% 323 9.0
Slough 382 25.1% 2.6% 51.0% 100 20.4
Portsmouth 361 8.2% 1.6% 36.4% 203 4.8
Elmbridge 528 5.7% 4.5% 4.2% 181 30.9
Cherwell 512 5.2% 3.5% 14.2% 204 13.8
Wokingham 540 5.2% 4.6% 3.1% 159 19.0
Winchester 523 5.0% 4.3% 4.8% 213 17.3
Hart 595 4.9% 3.9% 4.2% 210 23.2
Vale of White Horse 539 4.9% 4.4% 3.1% 194 17.8
Guildford 499 4.8% 4.1% 4.7% 182 19.6
Waverley 565 4.7% 4.2% 2.9% 155 31.6
Epsom and Ewell 461 4.6% 3.7% 4.0% 131 27.0
South Oxfordshire 559 4.6% 3.9% 3.3% 121 28.5
Buckinghamshire 543 4.5% 3.8% 4.1% 141 24.7
Mole Valley 591 4.5% 3.6% 15.6% 286 12.5
Reigate and Banstead 498 4.4% 3.4% 9.3% 123 35.9
Runnymede 496 4.4% 3.4% 6.0% 246 13.8
Surrey Heath 572 4.4% 3.8% 3.4% 207 20.9
Sevenoaks 551 4.3% 3.6% 5.0% 95 37.2
Dartford 441 4.2% 3.4% 5.6% 194 14.5
Eastleigh 539 4.2% 3.3% 4.5% 117 23.6
West Berkshire 557 4.2% 3.6% 4.2% 283 12.0
Basingstoke and Deane 524 4.1% 3.6% 3.2% 141 20.9
East Hampshire 594 4.1% 3.6% 3.3% 84 42.9
Mid Sussex 531 4.1% 3.5% 5.0% 176 17.8
Rushmoor 480 4.1% 2.3% 63.7% 156 11.4
Test Valley 561 4.1% 3.5% 3.9% 118 26.7
Tonbridge and Malling 530 4.1% 3.3% 5.9% 128 18.3
Horsham 580 4.0% 3.4% 3.4% 195 16.4
Tandridge 552 4.0% 3.3% 3.8% 138 30.0
Bracknell Forest 528 3.9% 3.3% 18.1% 159 20.5
Fareham 564 3.9% 3.4% 3.0% 62 47.8
Oxford 280 3.9% 3.0% 5.6% 167 8.2
West Oxfordshire 549 3.9% 3.4% 4.3% 195 15.6
Woking 514 3.9% 3.4% 3.2% 274 12.1
Tunbridge Wells 515 3.8% 3.2% 3.8% 113 25.5
Brighton and Hove 308 3.7% 2.9% 5.3% 283 5.9
Wealden 594 3.6% 3.0% 3.4% 115 26.5
Ashford 511 3.5% 2.8% 4.7% 145 15.9
Canterbury 454 3.5% 2.8% 4.7% 162 14.5
Chichester 557 3.5% 2.9% 4.0% 173 14.7
Lewes 489 3.5% 2.9% 3.8% 140 15.1
Maidstone 515 3.4% 2.8% 4.4% 83 29.6
New Forest 603 3.3% 2.8% 3.3% 177 17.2
Reading 360 3.3% 2.6% 5.1% 189 8.3
Havant 507 3.2% 2.4% 4.8% 72 29.7
Spelthorne 493 3.2% 2.6% 3.6% 160 18.5
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
Gravesham 461 3.0% 2.4% 5.5% 78 24.7
Medway 458 3.0% 2.3% 4.7% 79 25.7
Adur 473 2.9% 2.4% 4.0% 168 10.0
Rother 546 2.9% 2.5% 3.9% 67 36.7
Dover 497 2.8% 2.3% 4.2% 137 13.6
Swale 493 2.8% 2.4% 5.4% 107 18.1
Folkestone and Hythe 494 2.7% 2.3% 4.3% 211 9.2
Eastbourne 427 2.6% 1.9% 6.7% 116 12.4
Isle of Wight 498 2.6% 2.1% 4.2% 135 11.2
Thanet 457 2.6% 2.0% 5.1% 98 18.8
Southampton 370 2.5% 1.8% 4.6% 70 16.3
Gosport 473 2.4% 2.0% 3.3% 100 14.9
Hastings 415 2.4% 1.8% 4.8% 52 19.1

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 95,985 licensed vehicles in Isle of Wight 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,935 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 the Isle of Wight 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.