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Liverpool motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
192,478 licensed vehicles in Liverpool
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 170,036 +2.3% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 302 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 5,531 3.3% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.2% 84th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 996 196 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 9.5% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Liverpool?

There were 170,036 licensed cars in Liverpool at the end of March 2026, and 192,478 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 24.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 302 for every 1,000 residents, 28th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Liverpool

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Liverpool at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 154,947137,115
2011 154,293136,062
2012 152,108133,302
2013 151,453132,462
2014 154,135134,844
2015 156,246137,261
2016 159,291140,595
2017 163,011143,868
2018 165,778146,640
2019 169,738150,762
2020 173,268154,592
2021 175,375155,368
2022 178,388157,604
2023 180,950160,111
2024 184,348163,178
2025 187,908166,261
2026 192,478170,036

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, Liverpool compared
Year LiverpoolNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 291429–
2012 286425–
2013 286428–
2014 292433–
2015 293435473
2016 296438480
2017 301440488
2018 305443490
2019 313448493
2020 316446489
2021 323477493
2022 320472489
2023 319472489
2024 323474490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Liverpool

56.6% of cars in Liverpool run on petrol and 28.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 36.9% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.4%, and cars that plug in 5.0%.

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 Liverpool, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 76.6%23.1%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 74.4%25.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 72.3%27.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 70.6%29.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 68.7%30.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.6%32.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 64.5%34.9%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2017 62.9%36.3%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2018 62.2%36.9%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 62.0%36.8%0.9%0.1%0.1%
2020 61.6%36.8%1.2%0.1%0.1%
2021 61.3%36.5%1.6%0.2%0.2%
2022 60.7%35.9%2.3%0.5%0.4%
2023 60.2%34.8%3.3%0.8%0.6%
2024 59.3%33.2%4.9%1.4%0.8%
2025 58.1%30.9%7.1%2.3%1.2%
2026 56.6%28.6%9.4%3.3%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Liverpool

5,531 battery electric cars were licensed in Liverpool at the end of March 2026, 3.3% of all cars, 152nd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 8,582 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,843.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.2% are battery electric (3,460 cars), 10th lowest of 35 councils in the North West. Companies keep 37.4% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 9.5% of its cars overall. There are also 227 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, Liverpool compared, end of March each year
Year LiverpoolNorth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.1%0.2%
2020 0.1%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.2%0.7%0.7%
2022 0.5%1.5%1.3%
2023 0.8%2.6%2.1%
2024 1.4%3.8%3.0%
2025 2.3%5.4%4.1%
2026 3.3%6.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Liverpool

There were 996 public chargers in Liverpool on 1 July 2026, 86 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 196 for every 100,000 residents, 94th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 43.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 6.4 privately kept plug-in cars in Liverpool (UK 11.9), 43rd 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 Liverpool by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 69480
Apr 2026 92083
Jul 2026 99686

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Liverpool compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Liverpool 19617
Merseyside 11126
North West 11240
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Liverpool has 61 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, 4.6%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Liverpool with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Liverpool 047 4,068 188 4.6% 8.2%
Liverpool 046 3,455 124 3.6% 5.7%
Liverpool 056 4,329 156 3.6% 5.3%
Liverpool 007 3,677 124 3.4% 5.4%
Liverpool 054 3,269 111 3.4% 5.4%
Liverpool 041 3,804 127 3.3% 5.3%
Liverpool 021 4,486 134 3.0% 5.1%
Liverpool 051 3,542 101 2.9% 4.6%
Liverpool 013 2,619 73 2.8% 4.3%
Liverpool 034 3,769 107 2.8% 4.6%
Lowest electric shares
Liverpool 038 1,936 0 0.0% 1.0%
Liverpool 014 2,542 8 0.3% 2.1%
Liverpool 009 2,011 7 0.3% 1.2%
Liverpool 019 2,549 10 0.4% 1.5%
Liverpool 037 1,820 10 0.5% 3.2%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 6 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Liverpool

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,374 million miles on roads in Liverpool in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Liverpool
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,258
1994 1,275
1995 1,293
1996 1,302
1997 1,312
1998 1,324
1999 1,339
2000 1,332
2001 1,326
2002 1,358
2003 1,355
2004 1,350
2005 1,368
2006 1,344
2007 1,349
2008 1,332
2009 1,305
2010 1,298
2011 1,299
2012 1,289
2013 1,291
2014 1,320
2015 1,342
2016 1,335
2017 1,394
2018 1,391
2019 1,385
2020 1,151
2021 1,258
2022 1,314
2023 1,347
2024 1,363
2025 1,374

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Liverpool, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 885242
2022 981241
2023 931266
2024 841223
2025 853266

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Liverpool

Unleaded petrol averages 169.5p a litre across 42 filling stations in Liverpool, 2.2p below the UK average. Diesel averages 192.3p, 2.3p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Costco Wholesale Liverpool Liverpool 158.9p
  2. Essar Brewster Street Service Statrion Bootle 161.9p
  3. Go Garston Way Liverpool 161.9p

Every filling station and price in Liverpool

How Liverpool compares

Liverpool compared with Merseyside, the North West, England, the UK
Liverpool 302 3.3% 2.2% 9.5% 196 6.4
Merseyside 388 3.4% 2.6% 7.4% 111 16.1
North West 427 6.2% 2.7% 11.8% 112 17.4
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 Merseyside

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

Councils in Merseyside
Knowsley 380 4.1% 3.2% 8.5% 57 35.7
St Helens 452 3.5% 2.6% 6.0% 72 26.1
Wirral 453 3.4% 2.8% 5.9% 71 29.9
Liverpool 302 3.3% 2.2% 9.5% 196 6.4
Sefton 425 3.3% 2.7% 6.8% 61 33.9

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 192,478 licensed vehicles in Liverpool 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 8,925 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 Liverpool 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.