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Isles of Scilly motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
1,062 licensed vehicles in Isles of Scilly
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 580 +2.1% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 233 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 19 3.3% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.3% 10th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 16 676 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.0% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in the Isles of Scilly?

There were 580 licensed cars in the Isles of Scilly at the end of March 2026, and 1,062 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 20.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 233 for every 1,000 residents, 15th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in the Isles of Scilly

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in the Isles of Scilly at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 822480
2011 853474
2012 861492
2013 869486
2014 886486
2015 875498
2016 894517
2017 911518
2018 920521
2019 928519
2020 919539
2021 921529
2022 991555
2023 1,027566
2024 1,063582
2025 1,057568
2026 1,062580

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 Isles of Scilly compared
Year Isles of ScillySouth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 214524–
2012 219527–
2013 219533–
2014 230541–
2015 227546473
2016 233550480
2017 242565488
2018 239569490
2019 246580493
2020 255573489
2021 236575493
2022 243571489
2023 234570489
2024 245571490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in the Isles of Scilly

62.8% of cars in the Isles of Scilly run on petrol and 31.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 32.9% in 2019. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 1.7%, and cars that plug in 3.4%.

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 Isles of Scilly, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 73.8%26.0%0.2%0.0%–
2011 71.1%28.3%0.4%0.2%–
2012 72.2%27.2%0.4%0.2%–
2013 72.0%27.4%0.4%0.2%–
2014 71.8%28.0%0.0%0.2%–
2015 69.1%30.3%0.2%0.4%–
2016 69.2%29.8%0.4%0.4%–
2017 69.3%29.7%0.4%0.4%–
2018 67.6%31.5%0.2%0.6%–
2019 66.1%32.9%0.0%1.0%–
2020 67.7%30.6%0.0%1.7%–
2021 69.4%28.4%0.4%1.9%–
2022 67.2%29.4%0.5%2.7%–
2023 65.9%31.4%0.4%2.3%–
2024 65.1%31.1%0.5%3.1%–
2025 64.1%30.8%1.2%3.5%–
2026 62.8%31.9%1.7%3.3%–

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in the Isles of Scilly

19 battery electric cars were licensed in the Isles of Scilly at the end of March 2026, 3.3% of all cars, 152nd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 20 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 20.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.3% are battery electric (7 cars), the lowest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 63.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.0% of its cars overall. There are also 63 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 Isles of Scilly compared, end of March each year
Year Isles of ScillySouth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.4%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.6%0.1%0.1%
2019 1.0%0.2%0.2%
2020 1.7%0.4%0.3%
2021 1.9%1.0%0.7%
2022 2.7%2.1%1.3%
2023 2.3%3.2%2.1%
2024 3.1%4.2%3.0%
2025 3.5%5.2%4.1%
2026 3.3%4.9%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in the Isles of Scilly

There were 16 public chargers in the Isles of Scilly on 1 July 2026, none of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 676 for every 100,000 residents, 5th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 0.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 0.5 privately kept plug-in cars in the Isles of Scilly (UK 11.9), the 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 Isles of Scilly by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 160
Apr 2026 160
Jul 2026 160

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, the Isles of Scilly compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Isles of Scilly 6760
South West 15750
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in the Isles of Scilly

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1 million miles on roads in the Isles of Scilly in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in the Isles of Scilly
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1
1994 2
1995 2
1996 2
1997 2
1998 2
1999 2
2000 2
2001 2
2002 2
2003 2
2004 2
2005 1
2006 2
2007 2
2008 2
2009 2
2010 2
2011 2
2012 1
2013 2
2014 2
2015 2
2016 2
2017 2
2018 2
2019 2
2020 1
2021 1
2022 1
2023 1
2024 1
2025 1

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in the Isles of Scilly, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 00
2022 00
2023 30
2024 00
2025 00

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

More road safety figures

How the Isles of Scilly compares

Isles of Scilly compared with the South West, England, the UK
Isles of Scilly 233 3.3% 1.3% 5.0% 676 0.5
South West 506 4.9% 2.6% 9.6% 157 13.3
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 West

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

Councils in the South West
South Gloucestershire 520 19.1% 3.1% 36.8% 162 15.8
Wiltshire 552 8.4% 2.9% 24.1% 117 18.3
Exeter 355 4.5% 2.5% 34.1% 259 5.4
Stroud 585 4.2% 3.8% 3.4% 199 15.6
Tewkesbury 564 4.1% 3.5% 3.7% 157 22.2
Cotswold 602 4.0% 3.4% 3.7% 310 10.6
Bath and North East Somerset 449 3.9% 3.4% 3.4% 90 26.8
North Somerset 546 3.9% 3.2% 4.4% 107 28.4
Cheltenham 464 3.6% 3.0% 3.5% 272 9.4
South Hams 568 3.6% 3.0% 3.8% 145 16.6
Swindon 468 3.5% 2.7% 5.6% 138 16.6
Isles of Scilly 233 3.3% 1.3% 5.0% 676 0.5
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 472 3.1% 2.5% 4.0% 112 17.1
Dorset 571 3.1% 2.6% 3.8% 196 12.0
East Devon 542 3.1% 2.7% 3.4% 200 11.5
Forest of Dean 576 3.1% 2.7% 3.6% 194 11.9
Gloucester 463 3.0% 2.4% 4.5% 149 12.6
Teignbridge 547 3.0% 2.5% 3.7% 147 13.9
Bristol 360 2.8% 2.1% 4.7% 99 15.0
Mid Devon 557 2.8% 2.4% 3.9% 91 22.8
Somerset 555 2.8% 2.4% 3.7% 137 14.6
Cornwall 523 2.7% 2.2% 4.4% 235 7.5
West Devon 561 2.7% 2.4% 3.5% 178 11.7
North Devon 514 2.5% 2.0% 4.2% 208 7.8
Torridge 550 2.4% 2.0% 4.5% 107 15.6
Torbay 467 2.3% 1.8% 4.7% 97 13.6
Plymouth 424 2.1% 1.5% 4.6% 162 6.6

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 1,062 licensed vehicles in Isles of Scilly 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 87 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 the Isles of Scilly 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.