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Shetland Islands motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
18,498 licensed vehicles in Shetland Islands
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 12,135 +1.6% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 476 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 264 2.2% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.7% 16th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 75 323 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 9.1% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Shetland Islands?

There were 12,135 licensed cars in Shetland Islands at the end of June 2026, and 18,498 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 11.1% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 476 for every 1,000 residents, 158th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Shetland Islands

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Shetland Islands at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 15,48510,922
2011 15,92711,129
2012 16,18411,252
2013 16,51911,448
2014 16,87411,595
2015 16,93311,680
2016 16,93011,751
2017 17,04011,815
2018 16,88411,588
2019 17,14011,726
2020 16,70911,378
2021 17,30111,655
2022 17,44711,677
2023 17,60511,681
2024 18,00711,861
2025 18,17611,944
2026 18,49812,135

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, Shetland Islands compared
Year Shetland IslandsScotlandUnited Kingdom
2011 479429–
2012 485430–
2013 494436–
2014 497443–
2015 500446473
2016 506450480
2017 511457488
2018 504461490
2019 512465493
2020 497462489
2021 508469493
2022 507466489
2023 506465489
2024 512468490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Shetland Islands

51.2% of cars in Shetland Islands run on petrol and 30.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 48.2% in 2016. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 14.8%, and cars that plug in 3.5%.

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 Shetland Islands, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 59.1%40.7%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 57.0%42.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 55.5%44.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 53.9%45.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 53.0%46.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 51.7%47.8%0.3%0.0%0.1%
2016 51.2%48.2%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2017 51.4%47.7%0.6%0.1%0.2%
2018 51.5%47.3%0.8%0.1%0.2%
2019 53.0%45.4%1.2%0.1%0.2%
2020 53.4%44.4%1.7%0.2%0.3%
2021 53.5%42.2%3.4%0.5%0.4%
2022 53.9%39.8%4.8%0.9%0.4%
2023 54.0%37.7%6.3%1.1%0.6%
2024 53.5%35.3%8.7%1.4%0.8%
2025 52.1%33.5%11.4%1.7%1.0%
2026 51.2%30.2%14.8%2.2%1.3%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Shetland Islands

264 battery electric cars were licensed in Shetland Islands at the end of June 2026, 2.2% of all cars, 12th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 426 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 200.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.7% are battery electric (184 cars), 2nd lowest of 32 councils in Scotland. Companies keep 30.3% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 9.1% of its cars overall. There are also 44 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, Shetland Islands compared, end of March each year
Year Shetland IslandsScotlandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.3%0.4%
2021 0.5%0.7%0.8%
2022 0.9%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.1%1.9%2.3%
2024 1.4%2.5%3.2%
2025 1.7%3.4%4.4%
2026 2.2%4.5%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Shetland Islands

There were 75 public chargers in Shetland Islands on 1 July 2026, 16 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 323 for every 100,000 residents, 30th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 2.6% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 4.3 privately kept plug-in cars in Shetland Islands (UK 12.9), 17th 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 Shetland Islands by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 7716
Apr 2026 7516
Jul 2026 7516

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Shetland Islands compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Shetland Islands 32369
Scotland 23259
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Road traffic and collisions in Shetland Islands

Vehicles travelled an estimated 148 million miles on roads in Shetland Islands in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Shetland Islands
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 96
1994 99
1995 102
1996 104
1997 106
1998 107
1999 110
2000 110
2001 112
2002 118
2003 120
2004 120
2005 122
2006 127
2007 127
2008 127
2009 125
2010 128
2011 128
2012 128
2013 130
2014 135
2015 138
2016 144
2017 147
2018 144
2019 143
2020 115
2021 128
2022 137
2023 140
2024 146
2025 148

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Shetland Islands, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 85
2022 64
2023 189
2024 125
2025 84

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Shetland Islands

Unleaded petrol averages 169.2p a litre across 7 filling stations in Shetland Islands, 2.3p below the UK average. Diesel averages 202.7p, 4.0p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Bolts Car Hire Ltd Lerwick Lerwick 165.8p
  2. Bolts Car Hire Ltd Sumburgh Shetland 165.8p
  3. Sound Service Station Lerwick 167.5p

Every filling station and price in Shetland Islands

Roadworks in Shetland Islands

The Scottish Road Works Register lists 38 sets of roadworks in Shetland Islands, of which 11 are under way and 27 are planned. 8 of them close a road, a lane, a slip road or the hard shoulder. Shetland Islands Council is behind the most, 20 of them (52.6%). From the extract of 30 October 2026.

Works most likely to hold you up

  • Staneyhill, Lerwick

    Road closed Under way, until 24 Nov 2026 Shetland Islands Council

    Drainage connection for Staney Hill Housing Scheme

  • Pitt Lane, Lerwick

    Road closed Under way, until 21 Dec 2026 Shetland Islands Council

    Occupation for Demolition

  • New Street, Scalloway

    Road closed 29 Oct 2026 to 6 Nov 2026 Shetland Islands Council

    Resurfacing works

  • C306 From Staneypunds To Gruting Crossroads

    Road closed 30 Nov 2026 to 30 Jan 2027 Scottish Hydro Electric Power Dis

    Installing HV cable in road

  • Twageos Road, Lerwick

    Road closed 4 Jan 2027 to 29 Jul 2027 Shetland Islands Council

    Relocate existing water main and install new surface water pipe

  • U435 From Upperdale Road (Netherdale Jcn) To Upperdale Road (A971 Jcn)

    Road closed 21 Jan 2027 to 4 Feb 2027 Scottish Hydro Electric Power Dis

    Installing HV cables in verge of road which include road crossings.

  • Ladies Drive, Lerwick

    Road closed 29 Jan 2027 to 1 Feb 2027 Scottish Hydro Electric Power Dis

    Installing Ducting in the road

  • Twageos Road, Lerwick

    Road closed 29 Jan 2027 to 29 Jul 2027 Shetland Islands Council

    Relocate existing water main and install new surface water pipe

  • Commercial Road, Lerwick

    Temporary traffic lights Under way, until 3 Nov 2026 Scottish Water

    Repair Sewer

  • C210 From Sandwick Crossroads To North Sandwick (Derestriction Sign), Setter

    Temporary traffic lights Under way, until 31 Jan 2027 Shetland Islands Council

    REmote Cycle Path

Who is digging

  • Shetland Islands Council 20
  • Scottish Hydro Electric Power Dis 15
  • BT 2
  • Scottish Water 1

How traffic is managed

  • Temporary traffic lights 21
  • Road closed 8
  • Priority system 4
  • Footway only 3
  • No obstruction 2

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 2026-10-30 Updated

How Shetland Islands compares

Shetland Islands compared with Scotland, the UK
Shetland Islands 476 2.2% 1.7% 9.1% 323 4.3
Scotland 439 4.5% 3.3% 7.8% 232 9.7
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 Shetland Islands

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Shetland Islands, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 67.8% at Lerwick.

Other centres in Scotland:

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 Scotland

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

Councils in Scotland
Stirling 471 14.8% 4.5% 32.2% 511 6.0
Renfrewshire 439 12.8% 3.5% 34.8% 243 10.1
East Renfrewshire 475 5.5% 4.9% 4.3% 82 43.0
East Dunbartonshire 482 5.1% 4.5% 4.0% 103 32.4
West Lothian 481 4.9% 4.3% 5.6% 137 21.7
East Lothian 476 4.8% 4.4% 4.4% 600 5.1
Edinburgh 326 4.5% 3.6% 5.2% 192 9.7
Midlothian 465 4.5% 4.1% 5.1% 223 12.7
Orkney Islands 496 4.5% 4.0% 5.2% 386 7.3
South Lanarkshire 465 4.5% 3.9% 6.2% 182 15.3
Perth and Kinross 510 4.4% 3.9% 5.1% 363 8.3
Dundee 373 4.1% 3.2% 6.6% 472 3.7
North Lanarkshire 436 4.0% 3.4% 7.2% 168 13.7
Falkirk 495 3.9% 3.3% 5.4% 163 15.2
Fife 481 3.9% 3.4% 4.8% 132 18.2
South Ayrshire 483 3.9% 3.4% 5.1% 205 12.2
Aberdeenshire 533 3.8% 3.3% 4.3% 162 17.8
East Ayrshire 469 3.6% 3.1% 6.0% 229 9.6
Glasgow 309 3.5% 2.4% 9.6% 180 6.8
North Ayrshire 458 3.5% 3.0% 5.9% 199 10.6
Angus 507 3.4% 3.0% 4.7% 221 10.7
Clackmannanshire 496 3.4% 3.0% 4.9% 205 10.9
Aberdeen 399 3.3% 2.8% 4.4% 192 10.2
Scottish Borders 510 3.2% 2.9% 4.8% 224 10.4
Inverclyde 426 2.9% 2.5% 5.6% 237 7.5
West Dunbartonshire 421 2.9% 2.4% 6.7% 204 8.3
Argyll and Bute 474 2.8% 2.4% 4.7% 396 5.1
Highland 500 2.8% 2.3% 5.0% 387 5.0
Moray 507 2.8% 2.3% 4.5% 153 13.3
Dumfries and Galloway 514 2.4% 2.0% 5.7% 549 3.2
Shetland Islands 476 2.2% 1.7% 9.1% 323 4.3
Na h-Eileanan Siar 507 1.6% 1.3% 4.2% 515 2.4

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 18,498 licensed vehicles in Shetland Islands 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 479 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Shetland 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.