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North Somerset motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
159,760 licensed vehicles in North Somerset
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 129,021 +0.9% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 549 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 5,497 4.3% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.6% 93rd highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 241 107 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.4% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in North Somerset?

There were 129,021 licensed cars in North Somerset at the end of June 2026, and 159,760 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 18.1% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 549 for every 1,000 residents, 60th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in North Somerset

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in North Somerset at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 131,294109,290
2011 132,379110,010
2012 132,642110,457
2013 134,348111,859
2014 137,137114,369
2015 138,588115,651
2016 140,910117,426
2017 143,315119,520
2018 145,317120,838
2019 147,326122,049
2020 145,956121,037
2021 149,297122,668
2022 150,879123,404
2023 153,237124,716
2024 155,814126,474
2025 158,146127,837
2026 159,760129,021

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.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, North Somerset compared
Year North SomersetSouth WestUnited Kingdom
2011 542524–
2012 540527–
2013 542533–
2014 548541–
2015 549546473
2016 552550480
2017 559565488
2018 564569490
2019 566580493
2020 561573489
2021 564575493
2022 563571489
2023 562570489
2024 563571490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in North Somerset

60.3% of cars in North Somerset run on petrol and 25.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.0% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.4%, and cars that plug in 6.4%.

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.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in North Somerset, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 72.6%27.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 70.7%28.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2012 68.8%30.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.2%32.2%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.3%34.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.6%35.6%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.2%36.8%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2017 61.0%37.8%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2018 60.6%38.0%0.8%0.2%0.2%
2019 60.6%37.8%1.0%0.2%0.3%
2020 61.2%36.7%1.2%0.4%0.4%
2021 61.5%35.3%1.7%0.7%0.6%
2022 61.5%33.9%2.3%1.2%0.8%
2023 62.0%31.7%3.2%1.7%1.1%
2024 62.1%29.6%4.4%2.3%1.3%
2025 61.4%27.7%5.8%3.1%1.7%
2026 60.3%25.5%7.4%4.3%2.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in North Somerset

5,497 battery electric cars were licensed in North Somerset at the end of June 2026, 4.3% of all cars, 118th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 8,238 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,957.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.6% are battery electric (4,448 cars), 5th highest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 19.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.4% of its cars overall. There are also 316 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, North Somerset compared, end of March each year
Year North SomersetSouth WestUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.4%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.7%1.2%0.8%
2022 1.2%2.3%1.5%
2023 1.7%3.5%2.3%
2024 2.3%4.4%3.2%
2025 3.1%5.4%4.4%
2026 4.3%5.2%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in North Somerset

There were 241 public chargers in North Somerset on 1 July 2026, 71 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 107 for every 100,000 residents, 106th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 0.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 28.3 privately kept plug-in cars in North Somerset (UK 12.9), 52nd most 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 North Somerset by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 24169
Apr 2026 21771
Jul 2026 24171

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, North Somerset compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
North Somerset 10732
South West 15750
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

North Somerset has 26 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.1% 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 North Somerset with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
North Somerset 002 4,372 219 5.0% 7.5%
North Somerset 011 4,432 211 4.8% 7.6%
North Somerset 006 9,182 423 4.6% 7.5%
North Somerset 005 3,960 159 4.0% 5.9%
North Somerset 024 7,302 293 4.0% 6.5%
North Somerset 013 5,396 213 3.9% 6.1%
North Somerset 009 4,380 165 3.8% 5.7%
North Somerset 004 4,319 160 3.7% 6.3%
North Somerset 023 9,686 360 3.7% 5.4%
North Somerset 027 6,183 224 3.6% 4.9%
Lowest electric shares
North Somerset 020 4,846 46 0.9% 1.9%
North Somerset 021 3,454 38 1.1% 1.9%
North Somerset 018 5,130 95 1.9% 2.8%
North Somerset 010 5,049 96 1.9% 2.6%
North Somerset 022 3,458 74 2.1% 3.0%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in North Somerset

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,647 million miles on roads in North Somerset in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in North Somerset
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 1,051
1994 1,073
1995 1,097
1996 1,131
1997 1,136
1998 1,170
1999 1,239
2000 1,232
2001 1,297
2002 1,316
2003 1,349
2004 1,379
2005 1,395
2006 1,393
2007 1,455
2008 1,485
2009 1,455
2010 1,421
2011 1,413
2012 1,438
2013 1,448
2014 1,481
2015 1,491
2016 1,591
2017 1,607
2018 1,659
2019 1,690
2020 1,291
2021 1,458
2022 1,572
2023 1,605
2024 1,614
2025 1,647

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in North Somerset, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 20959
2022 24868
2023 26379
2024 28893
2025 285100

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in North Somerset

Unleaded petrol averages 173.7p a litre across 21 filling stations in North Somerset, 2.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 200.1p, 1.4p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Gulf Bristol Airport Fuel Express Automat Bristol 166.7p
  2. Texaco Global Fuel - Shuteshelve Winscombe 167.9p
  3. Jet Welcome Backwell Bristol 168.7p

Every filling station and price in North Somerset

How North Somerset compares

North Somerset compared with the South West, England, the UK
North Somerset 549 4.3% 3.6% 4.4% 107 28.3
South West 509 5.2% 2.9% 9.6% 157 14.4
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

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 June 2026.

Driving test centres in North Somerset

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in North Somerset, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 61.0% at Weston-super-Mare.

Other centres in the South West:

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 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 523 18.8% 3.4% 37.0% 162 17.1
Wiltshire 556 8.9% 3.2% 24.3% 117 23.3
Exeter 357 5.2% 2.8% 33.8% 259 5.6
Stroud 589 4.6% 4.1% 3.3% 199 17.4
Tewkesbury 567 4.5% 3.9% 3.7% 157 21.2
North Somerset 549 4.3% 3.6% 4.4% 107 28.3
Bath and North East Somerset 450 4.2% 3.7% 3.5% 90 28.8
Cotswold 606 4.2% 3.7% 3.7% 310 12.0
Cheltenham 466 3.9% 3.4% 3.5% 272 9.0
South Hams 572 3.9% 3.3% 3.7% 145 19.0
Swindon 471 3.8% 3.0% 5.3% 138 16.4
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 475 3.4% 2.8% 4.0% 112 18.3
Dorset 576 3.4% 2.9% 3.8% 196 12.8
East Devon 546 3.4% 3.0% 3.5% 200 12.7
Forest of Dean 581 3.4% 3.0% 3.6% 194 13.1
Gloucester 465 3.3% 2.6% 4.6% 149 12.7
Teignbridge 551 3.3% 2.8% 3.8% 147 15.6
Isles of Scilly 238 3.2% 1.2% 5.1% 676 0.6
Mid Devon 562 3.1% 2.7% 3.9% 91 24.9
Somerset 560 3.1% 2.7% 3.7% 137 16.8
West Devon 564 3.1% 2.7% 3.5% 178 13.0
Bristol 362 3.0% 2.3% 4.7% 99 13.7
Cornwall 528 3.0% 2.5% 4.4% 235 8.1
North Devon 518 2.7% 2.2% 4.2% 208 9.1
Torbay 469 2.6% 2.0% 4.7% 97 15.4
Torridge 555 2.6% 2.2% 4.5% 107 17.7
Plymouth 426 2.2% 1.7% 4.6% 162 7.3

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 159,760 licensed vehicles in North Somerset 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 8,717 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 North Somerset 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.