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Orkney Islands motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
18,291 licensed vehicles in Orkney Islands
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 11,364 +1.5% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 490 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 504 4.4% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.8% 35th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 85 386 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.0% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Orkney Islands?

There were 11,364 licensed cars in Orkney Islands at the end of March 2026, and 18,291 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 13.9% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 490 for every 1,000 residents, 177th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Orkney Islands

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Orkney Islands at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 15,0069,979
2011 15,22010,103
2012 15,51110,196
2013 15,70510,269
2014 15,87310,404
2015 15,91910,422
2016 16,21210,656
2017 16,71110,953
2018 16,97311,094
2019 17,17611,170
2020 17,35511,306
2021 17,33311,210
2022 17,55311,152
2023 17,65911,113
2024 17,82311,129
2025 18,02211,198
2026 18,29111,364

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, Orkney Islands compared
Year Orkney IslandsScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 477429–
2012 481430–
2013 484436–
2014 493443–
2015 492446473
2016 497450480
2017 511457488
2018 512461490
2019 518465493
2020 505462489
2021 517469493
2022 510466489
2023 508465489
2024 513468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Orkney Islands

48.8% of cars in Orkney Islands run on petrol and 39.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 44.9% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 5.5%, and cars that plug in 6.1%.

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 Orkney Islands, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 66.2%33.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2011 64.1%35.8%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 61.9%38.0%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2013 60.3%39.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%
2014 58.5%41.3%0.1%0.1%0.0%
2015 56.9%42.5%0.1%0.4%0.0%
2016 55.6%43.6%0.1%0.6%0.1%
2017 54.4%44.5%0.2%0.8%0.1%
2018 53.5%44.9%0.3%1.2%0.2%
2019 53.0%44.9%0.4%1.4%0.3%
2020 52.8%44.8%0.5%1.5%0.3%
2021 52.0%44.9%0.7%1.9%0.5%
2022 51.4%44.4%1.1%2.2%0.7%
2023 51.2%43.7%1.3%2.7%0.9%
2024 50.6%42.5%2.3%3.2%1.1%
2025 49.5%41.2%3.7%3.8%1.4%
2026 48.8%39.1%5.5%4.4%1.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Orkney Islands

504 battery electric cars were licensed in Orkney Islands at the end of March 2026, 4.4% of all cars, 69th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 691 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 425.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.8% are battery electric (412 cars), 5th highest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 18.3% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.0% of its cars overall. There are also 94 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, Orkney Islands compared, end of March each year
Year Orkney IslandsScotlandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.6%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.8%0.1%0.1%
2018 1.2%0.1%0.1%
2019 1.4%0.2%0.2%
2020 1.5%0.3%0.3%
2021 1.9%0.6%0.7%
2022 2.2%1.1%1.3%
2023 2.7%1.7%2.1%
2024 3.2%2.3%3.0%
2025 3.8%3.2%4.1%
2026 4.4%4.2%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Orkney Islands

There were 85 public chargers in Orkney Islands on 1 July 2026, 15 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 386 for every 100,000 residents, 24th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 8.6% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 6.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Orkney Islands (UK 11.9), 50th 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 Orkney Islands by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 9321
Apr 2026 8515
Jul 2026 8515

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Orkney Islands compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Orkney Islands 38668
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in Orkney Islands

Vehicles travelled an estimated 99 million miles on roads in Orkney Islands in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Orkney Islands
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 68
1994 70
1995 72
1996 73
1997 75
1998 75
1999 76
2000 76
2001 77
2002 79
2003 79
2004 76
2005 77
2006 81
2007 82
2008 81
2009 82
2010 83
2011 82
2012 82
2013 83
2014 87
2015 89
2016 93
2017 96
2018 93
2019 93
2020 74
2021 82
2022 88
2023 91
2024 96
2025 99

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Orkney Islands, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 136
2022 116
2023 106
2024 137
2025 85

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

More road safety figures

Roadworks in Orkney Islands

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 75 sets of roadworks in Orkney Islands, of which 22 are under way and 53 are planned. 30 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. BT is behind the most, 54 of them (72.0%). From the extract of 16 September 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • Garson Road

    Road closed Under way, until 27 Sept 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct

  • B9049 From B9047 To B9047

    Road closed Under way, until 27 Sept 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct

  • B9047 From Bu To Sandsdale Road

    Road closed Under way, until 27 Sept 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct

  • B9047 From Bu To Sandsdale Road

    Road closed Under way, until 27 Sept 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct

  • Kings Road

    Road closed Under way, until 15 Sept 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct

  • East Branch Road

    Road closed Under way, until 15 Sept 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct

  • Brims Road

    Road closed Under way, until 27 Sept 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct

  • Junction Road, Kirkwall

    Road closed 29 Sept 2026 to 8 Oct 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct (potential boxes) - multiple service connections

  • Albert Street, Kirkwall

    Road closed 4 Oct 2026 to 9 Oct 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct (potential boxes) - multiple service connections

  • Bridge Street, Kirkwall

    Road closed 4 Oct 2026 to 9 Oct 2026 BT

    Excavate to lay duct (potential boxes) - multiple service connections

Who is digging

  • BT 54
  • Orkney Islands Council 18
  • Scottish Hydro Electric Power Dis 2
  • Scottish Water 1

How traffic is managed

  • Road closed 30
  • Temporary traffic lights 21
  • Give and take 18
  • Stop and go boards 4
  • No obstruction 1

The register publishes one extract a day, so works can start, finish or change after it is taken. Roadworks across Scotland.

Source:SRWR Extract of 2026-09-16 Updated

How Orkney Islands compares

Orkney Islands compared with Scotland, the UK
Orkney Islands 490 4.4% 3.8% 5.0% 386 6.9
Scotland 436 4.2% 3.0% 7.8% 232 8.9
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 Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 468 13.9% 4.1% 32.1% 511 5.6
Renfrewshire 436 11.9% 3.2% 34.9% 243 9.1
East Renfrewshire 473 5.1% 4.5% 4.2% 82 40.4
East Dunbartonshire 481 4.7% 4.1% 4.0% 103 32.8
East Lothian 472 4.5% 4.0% 4.4% 600 5.0
Orkney Islands 490 4.4% 3.8% 5.0% 386 6.9
West Lothian 479 4.4% 3.8% 5.7% 137 22.2
Edinburgh 325 4.2% 3.3% 5.3% 192 8.6
South Lanarkshire 463 4.2% 3.5% 6.2% 182 14.0
Midlothian 461 4.1% 3.7% 5.1% 223 11.6
Perth and Kinross 506 4.0% 3.5% 5.1% 363 7.6
Dundee 371 3.9% 3.0% 6.7% 472 3.3
North Lanarkshire 434 3.6% 3.0% 7.2% 168 12.1
South Ayrshire 482 3.6% 3.0% 5.3% 205 10.5
Aberdeenshire 528 3.5% 3.0% 4.3% 162 17.8
Falkirk 493 3.5% 2.9% 5.4% 163 13.9
Fife 478 3.5% 3.0% 4.9% 132 17.2
Glasgow 307 3.4% 2.2% 9.7% 180 6.2
East Ayrshire 467 3.3% 2.8% 6.0% 229 9.1
North Ayrshire 457 3.2% 2.7% 5.9% 199 9.2
Aberdeen 396 3.1% 2.5% 4.5% 192 9.6
Clackmannanshire 492 3.1% 2.7% 4.9% 205 9.5
Angus 504 3.0% 2.6% 4.7% 221 9.7
Scottish Borders 506 3.0% 2.6% 4.8% 224 9.6
West Dunbartonshire 420 2.8% 2.3% 6.5% 204 7.7
Inverclyde 425 2.7% 2.3% 5.6% 237 6.8
Moray 501 2.6% 2.1% 4.5% 153 11.7
Argyll and Bute 471 2.5% 2.2% 4.7% 396 4.9
Highland 496 2.5% 2.0% 5.0% 387 4.4
Dumfries and Galloway 510 2.2% 1.8% 5.8% 549 2.9
Shetland Islands 471 1.9% 1.4% 9.1% 323 3.9
Na h-Eileanan Siar 500 1.5% 1.2% 4.1% 515 2.4

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 18,291 licensed vehicles in Orkney Islands 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 797 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Orkney Islands 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.
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.