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Lewisham motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
82,949 licensed vehicles in Lewisham
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 74,000 +0.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 232 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,543 3.4% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.9% 156th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 400 133 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.6% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Lewisham?

There were 74,000 licensed cars in Lewisham at the end of March 2026, and 82,949 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 0.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 232 for every 1,000 residents, 14th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Lewisham

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Lewisham at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 84,99373,982
2011 84,29373,133
2012 82,60372,213
2013 82,13771,940
2014 83,26872,911
2015 84,22073,979
2016 86,20375,807
2017 87,84577,275
2018 87,58877,141
2019 87,30177,010
2020 86,09876,307
2021 86,14076,517
2022 84,46874,949
2023 83,20973,862
2024 82,61873,550
2025 82,55273,633
2026 82,94974,000

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, Lewisham compared
Year LewishamLondonUnited Kingdom
2011 264313–
2012 257307–
2013 253303–
2014 253303–
2015 253303473
2016 255304480
2017 257306488
2018 255303490
2019 252301493
2020 250296489
2021 256300493
2022 250295489
2023 246290489
2024 245287490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Lewisham

71.3% of cars in Lewisham run on petrol and 12.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 27.6% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.1%, and cars that plug in 6.2%.

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 Lewisham, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 84.7%14.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 83.1%16.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 81.3%18.1%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2013 79.4%19.9%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2014 77.5%21.5%0.8%0.0%0.0%
2015 75.2%23.6%1.0%0.0%0.0%
2016 72.9%25.5%1.3%0.0%0.0%
2017 71.0%27.0%1.7%0.1%0.1%
2018 70.0%27.6%2.1%0.1%0.2%
2019 70.3%26.5%2.6%0.1%0.3%
2020 71.5%24.5%3.1%0.2%0.5%
2021 73.0%21.8%3.8%0.5%0.8%
2022 76.0%16.7%4.9%1.0%1.1%
2023 75.8%15.3%5.9%1.4%1.3%
2024 75.1%13.9%7.1%2.0%1.7%
2025 73.3%12.9%8.5%2.9%2.2%
2026 71.3%12.1%10.1%3.4%2.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Lewisham

2,543 battery electric cars were licensed in Lewisham at the end of March 2026, 3.4% of all cars, 163rd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,606 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,124.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.9% are battery electric (2,018 cars), 7th lowest of 33 councils in London. Companies keep 20.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.6% of its cars overall. There are also 126 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, Lewisham compared, end of March each year
Year LewishamLondonUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.3%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.5%0.3%
2021 0.5%0.9%0.7%
2022 1.0%1.8%1.3%
2023 1.4%2.9%2.1%
2024 2.0%4.2%3.0%
2025 2.9%5.4%4.1%
2026 3.4%6.6%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Lewisham

There were 400 public chargers in Lewisham on 1 July 2026, 104 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 133 for every 100,000 residents, 160th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 27.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 11.4 privately kept plug-in cars in Lewisham (UK 11.9), 111th 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 Lewisham by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 31588
Apr 2026 34591
Jul 2026 400104

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Lewisham compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Lewisham 13335
London 34528
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Lewisham has 37 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.7% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Lewisham with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Lewisham 021 2,294 115 5.0% 8.6%
Lewisham 007 2,075 78 3.8% 7.6%
Lewisham 024 2,272 87 3.8% 6.7%
Lewisham 009 1,798 63 3.5% 6.7%
Lewisham 025 2,481 82 3.3% 6.5%
Lewisham 001 2,042 66 3.2% 6.2%
Lewisham 015 1,888 60 3.2% 5.4%
Lewisham 023 3,105 98 3.2% 5.3%
Lewisham 011 1,717 52 3.0% 5.2%
Lewisham 022 2,684 77 2.9% 5.6%
Lowest electric shares
Lewisham 031 2,193 42 1.9% 4.0%
Lewisham 017 1,865 36 1.9% 4.5%
Lewisham 030 2,991 61 2.0% 4.8%
Lewisham 029 2,627 56 2.1% 4.7%
Lewisham 035 2,175 48 2.2% 4.6%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 7 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Lewisham

Vehicles travelled an estimated 449 million miles on roads in Lewisham in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Lewisham
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 528
1994 534
1995 537
1996 540
1997 541
1998 543
1999 553
2000 550
2001 551
2002 550
2003 547
2004 531
2005 523
2006 523
2007 524
2008 512
2009 498
2010 486
2011 485
2012 473
2013 462
2014 469
2015 470
2016 490
2017 489
2018 470
2019 479
2020 393
2021 444
2022 443
2023 445
2024 448
2025 449

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Lewisham, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 731107
2022 785112
2023 769103
2024 731132
2025 729146

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Lewisham

Unleaded petrol averages 171.8p a litre across 15 filling stations in Lewisham, 0.1p above the UK average. Diesel averages 194.6p, the same as the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Lewisham Superstore London 167.9p
  2. Sainsbury's New Cross Gate London 167.9p
  3. BP Lee Sf Connect Lewisham 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Lewisham

How Lewisham compares

Lewisham compared with London, England, the UK
Lewisham 232 3.4% 2.9% 5.6% 133 11.4
London 263 6.6% 3.7% 9.4% 345 5.5
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 London

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

Councils in London
Westminster 178 55.1% 7.6% 57.8% 1,378 1.7
City of London 79 32.0% 7.8% 55.7% 443 2.5
Hammersmith and Fulham 199 18.3% 5.0% 22.2% 1,380 1.4
Camden 158 9.5% 7.5% 12.3% 378 5.3
Kensington and Chelsea 238 7.4% 6.6% 8.0% 637 4.7
Brent 231 7.1% 3.8% 12.5% 367 4.8
Barnet 321 6.4% 5.2% 7.0% 288 9.6
Islington 132 5.9% 4.5% 11.6% 386 3.5
Richmond upon Thames 358 5.4% 4.5% 5.5% 642 4.8
Harrow 335 5.2% 4.0% 6.1% 120 20.9
Hillingdon 361 5.2% 3.2% 15.5% 121 19.8
Merton 293 5.0% 4.1% 5.6% 436 5.3
Southwark 161 5.0% 4.2% 8.1% 618 2.0
Wandsworth 214 5.0% 4.2% 5.0% 532 3.4
Kingston upon Thames 353 4.9% 4.2% 3.9% 242 10.8
Tower Hamlets 127 4.9% 3.6% 10.9% 776 1.6
Ealing 272 4.6% 3.5% 7.5% 264 7.2
Hackney 137 4.5% 3.3% 10.4% 638 1.5
Haringey 213 4.5% 3.5% 8.7% 135 10.7
Lambeth 176 4.4% 3.6% 6.5% 244 5.2
Redbridge 301 4.4% 3.5% 7.1% 198 11.5
Barking and Dagenham 262 4.2% 2.9% 8.4% 100 18.6
Bromley 407 4.2% 3.5% 4.3% 67 39.1
Croydon 316 4.1% 3.3% 5.4% 153 12.9
Hounslow 299 4.1% 3.1% 6.7% 233 8.7
Sutton 377 4.0% 3.3% 4.2% 118 19.8
Greenwich 238 3.9% 3.2% 6.3% 101 14.8
Havering 387 3.6% 2.7% 6.0% 95 23.6
Newham 167 3.6% 2.8% 9.3% 159 7.6
Waltham Forest 250 3.5% 2.7% 7.6% 663 2.1
Enfield 333 3.4% 2.7% 6.8% 137 17.3
Lewisham 232 3.4% 2.9% 5.6% 133 11.4
Bexley 381 3.3% 2.8% 6.2% 269 7.5

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 82,949 licensed vehicles in Lewisham 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 4,885 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 Lewisham 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.