South East · District council
Mid Sussex motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Mid Sussex, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Mid Sussex compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 91,075 +0.8% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 535 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 4,084 4.5% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.8% 70th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 284 176 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 5.0% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Mid Sussex?
There were 91,075 licensed cars in Mid Sussex at the end of June 2026, and 107,897 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 535 for every 1,000 residents, 91st highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Mid Sussex
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 86,592 | 74,487 |
| 2011 | 87,475 | 75,262 |
| 2012 | 88,245 | 76,004 |
| 2013 | 89,676 | 77,050 |
| 2014 | 91,415 | 78,462 |
| 2015 | 92,482 | 79,327 |
| 2016 | 94,163 | 80,598 |
| 2017 | 96,326 | 82,206 |
| 2018 | 97,064 | 82,835 |
| 2019 | 100,541 | 85,507 |
| 2020 | 99,541 | 84,785 |
| 2021 | 102,179 | 86,356 |
| 2022 | 103,427 | 87,426 |
| 2023 | 104,534 | 88,346 |
| 2024 | 106,027 | 89,681 |
| 2025 | 107,058 | 90,324 |
| 2026 | 107,897 | 91,075 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Licensed vehicles by type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 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.
| Year | Mid Sussex | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 537 | 534 | – |
| 2012 | 538 | 535 | – |
| 2013 | 539 | 541 | – |
| 2014 | 543 | 547 | – |
| 2015 | 545 | 551 | 473 |
| 2016 | 548 | 559 | 480 |
| 2017 | 557 | 567 | 488 |
| 2018 | 556 | 570 | 490 |
| 2019 | 570 | 572 | 493 |
| 2020 | 562 | 561 | 489 |
| 2021 | 565 | 564 | 493 |
| 2022 | 564 | 565 | 489 |
| 2023 | 558 | 567 | 489 |
| 2024 | 554 | 570 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Mid Sussex
61.2% of cars in Mid Sussex run on petrol and 23.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 33.0% in 2019. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.0%, and cars that plug in 6.9%.
Cars by fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Fuel mix over time
Share of licensed cars at the end of March each year.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.6% | 23.0% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 74.8% | 24.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 73.0% | 26.4% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 71.4% | 28.0% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 69.7% | 29.6% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 68.4% | 30.8% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | 67.2% | 31.9% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 66.4% | 32.4% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 66.0% | 32.4% | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 65.2% | 33.0% | 1.1% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 2020 | 65.2% | 32.6% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| 2021 | 64.8% | 31.8% | 1.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 64.3% | 30.7% | 2.4% | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| 2023 | 63.9% | 29.3% | 3.3% | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| 2024 | 63.3% | 27.4% | 4.8% | 2.5% | 1.5% |
| 2025 | 62.4% | 25.4% | 6.4% | 3.3% | 2.0% |
| 2026 | 61.2% | 23.5% | 8.0% | 4.5% | 2.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Mid Sussex
4,084 battery electric cars were licensed in Mid Sussex at the end of June 2026, 4.5% of all cars, 94th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 6,255 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,013.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.8% are battery electric (3,326 cars), 20th highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 18.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.0% of its cars overall. There are also 112 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.
| Year | Mid Sussex | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | 2.2% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | 6.4% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 4.5% | 9.3% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Mid Sussex
There were 284 public chargers in Mid Sussex on 1 July 2026, 59 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 176 for every 100,000 residents, 119th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 2.9% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 18.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Mid Sussex (UK 12.9), 152nd most of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.
Public chargers
| Date | All public chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 276 | 59 |
| Apr 2026 | 277 | 59 |
| Jul 2026 | 284 | 59 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Mid Sussex | 176 | 37 |
| West Sussex | 193 | 35 |
| South East | 159 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Mid Sussex has 17 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.4% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Sussex 007 | 6,372 | 319 | 5.0% | |
| Mid Sussex 017 | 6,752 | 309 | 4.6% | |
| Mid Sussex 008 | 6,968 | 317 | 4.5% | |
| Mid Sussex 016 | 6,591 | 295 | 4.5% | |
| Mid Sussex 011 | 8,263 | 351 | 4.2% | |
| Mid Sussex 015 | 4,185 | 159 | 3.8% | |
| Mid Sussex 006 | 5,383 | 196 | 3.6% | |
| Mid Sussex 005 | 4,886 | 167 | 3.4% | |
| Mid Sussex 013 | 6,360 | 214 | 3.4% | |
| Mid Sussex 002 | 5,085 | 169 | 3.3% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Mid Sussex 014 | 5,071 | 95 | 1.9% | |
| Mid Sussex 001 | 7,484 | 176 | 2.4% | |
| Mid Sussex 010 | 4,090 | 103 | 2.5% | |
| Mid Sussex 003 | 5,536 | 151 | 2.7% | |
| Mid Sussex 009 | 6,094 | 177 | 2.9% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Mid Sussex
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 224 | 75 |
| 2022 | 265 | 72 |
| 2023 | 292 | 77 |
| 2024 | 268 | 75 |
| 2025 | 270 | 68 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Mid Sussex
Unleaded petrol averages 172.7p a litre across 21 filling stations in Mid Sussex, 1.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 200.1p, 1.4p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Gulf Bolney Cross Service Station Bolney 169.7p
- Tesco Burgess Hill Superstore Burgess Hill 169.9p
- Chandlers Service Station Burgess Hill 169.9p
How Mid Sussex compares
| Mid Sussex | 535 | 4.5% | 176 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Sussex | 521 | 3.8% | 193 |
| South East | 499 | 9.3% | 159 |
| England | 440 | 6.2% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 444 | 5.8% | 175 |
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 June 2026.
Driving test centres in Mid Sussex
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Mid Sussex, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 45.5% at Burgess Hill.
Other centres in West Sussex:
- Chichester 61.6% pass rate, 2025/26
- Worthing 59.8% pass rate, 2025/26
- Crawley 42.7% pass rate, 2025/26
DVSA publishes pass rates by centre name, with no address, so centres are placed here by the place name in the name DVSA uses. See pass rates at every test centre.
Councils in West Sussex
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 107,897 licensed vehicles in Mid Sussex | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 6,448 plug-in vehicles | 26 October 2026 |
| Public chargers | Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics Department for Transport | 1 July 2026 | 121,171 public chargers (UK) | 26 October 2026 |
| Population | Mid-year population estimates Office for National Statistics | Mid-2024 | 404 areas | 26 October 2026 |
| Neighbourhoods | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales | 26 October 2026 |
- Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Mid Sussex 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.
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.