East of England · District council

Norwich motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
66,965 licensed vehicles in Norwich
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 54,574 +1.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 350 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,493 2.7% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.6% 20th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 289 196 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.7% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Norwich?

There were 54,574 licensed cars in Norwich at the end of March 2026, and 66,965 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 11.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 350 for every 1,000 residents, 41st lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Norwich

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Norwich at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 59,33049,095
2011 59,37149,351
2012 58,68849,041
2013 59,31549,414
2014 60,33950,158
2015 61,05150,678
2016 62,46451,723
2017 63,15352,262
2018 63,25052,299
2019 63,58052,454
2020 63,67152,623
2021 63,30552,242
2022 63,84852,335
2023 64,46952,417
2024 65,10153,146
2025 66,07253,908
2026 66,96554,574

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, Norwich compared
Year NorwichEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 373503
2012 367502
2013 365505
2014 367524
2015 367529473
2016 367537480
2017 369544488
2018 365542490
2019 368541493
2020 361536489
2021 369539493
2022 362532489
2023 359529489
2024 363531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Norwich

56.9% of cars in Norwich run on petrol and 32.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 35.6% in 2022. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.4%, and cars that plug in 3.9%.

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 Norwich, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 77.0%22.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 75.5%24.1%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 74.1%25.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 72.0%27.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 69.9%29.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 68.1%31.2%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 66.6%32.6%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2017 65.2%33.9%0.7%0.0%0.1%
2018 64.4%34.4%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2019 63.7%34.9%1.0%0.1%0.2%
2020 62.7%35.3%1.4%0.2%0.2%
2021 62.0%35.5%1.7%0.4%0.3%
2022 60.8%35.6%2.2%0.8%0.5%
2023 60.0%35.1%3.0%1.2%0.6%
2024 59.1%34.6%4.0%1.5%0.7%
2025 58.0%33.8%5.1%2.0%0.9%
2026 56.9%32.6%6.4%2.7%1.2%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Norwich

1,493 battery electric cars were licensed in Norwich at the end of March 2026, 2.7% of all cars, 69th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,146 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,091.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.6% are battery electric (846 cars), the lowest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 43.3% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.7% of its cars overall. There are also 69 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, Norwich compared, end of March each year
Year NorwichEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.3%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.8%1.1%1.3%
2023 1.2%1.7%2.1%
2024 1.5%2.6%3.0%
2025 2.0%3.8%4.1%
2026 2.7%5.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Norwich

There were 289 public chargers in Norwich on 1 July 2026, 61 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 196 for every 100,000 residents, 92nd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 1.4% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 4.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Norwich (UK 11.9), 22nd 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 Norwich by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 29360
Apr 2026 28246
Jul 2026 28961

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Norwich compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Norwich 19641
Norfolk 16241
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Norwich has 15 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.2% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.7%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Norwich with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Norwich 012 4,989 186 3.7% 5.6%
Norwich 017 1,498 32 2.1% 3.3%
Norwich 014 2,409 46 1.9% 2.9%
Norwich 009 3,698 57 1.5% 2.5%
Norwich 011 4,337 65 1.5% 2.9%
Norwich 010 2,603 35 1.3% 2.0%
Norwich 001 5,557 60 1.1% 2.0%
Norwich 004 4,843 53 1.1% 1.6%
Norwich 005 5,139 48 0.9% 2.0%
Norwich 003 4,575 34 0.7% 1.4%
Lowest electric shares
Norwich 013 4,500 31 0.7% 1.5%
Norwich 006 4,992 35 0.7% 1.9%
Norwich 003 4,575 34 0.7% 1.4%
Norwich 005 5,139 48 0.9% 2.0%
Norwich 004 4,843 53 1.1% 1.6%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 3 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Norwich

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Norwich, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 23541
2022 25756
2023 20654
2024 27369
2025 29876

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Norwich

Unleaded petrol averages 170.9p a litre across 14 filling stations in Norwich, 0.8p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.2p, 1.4p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

How Norwich compares

Norwich compared with Norfolk, the East of England, England, the UK
Norwich 350 2.7% 1.6% 5.7% 196 4.7
Norfolk 518 3.0% 2.4% 4.3% 162 12.0
East of England 497 5.2% 2.9% 8.6% 150 15.7
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 Norfolk

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

Councils in Norfolk
South Norfolk 568 3.6% 3.1% 4.1% 131 18.5
Broadland 571 3.3% 2.8% 3.9% 116 22.1
Breckland 553 3.1% 2.4% 4.3% 114 18.4
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 535 2.9% 2.3% 4.1% 172 12.1
Norwich 350 2.7% 1.6% 5.7% 196 4.7
North Norfolk 569 2.6% 2.2% 3.5% 225 8.0
Great Yarmouth 470 2.3% 1.7% 4.7% 211 6.3

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 66,965 licensed vehicles in Norwich 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,278 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 Norwich 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.