East of England · District council
South Cambridgeshire motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in South Cambridgeshire, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how South Cambridgeshire compares with the East of England. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 97,849 +1.2% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 547 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 5,812 5.9% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 5.4% 6th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 353 205 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 3.5% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in South Cambridgeshire?
There were 97,849 licensed cars in South Cambridgeshire at the end of June 2026, and 118,341 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 18.7% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 547 for every 1,000 residents, 66th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in South Cambridgeshire
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 99,474 | 82,454 |
| 2011 | 100,881 | 83,506 |
| 2012 | 101,789 | 84,383 |
| 2013 | 102,675 | 85,442 |
| 2014 | 104,801 | 87,169 |
| 2015 | 106,242 | 88,153 |
| 2016 | 109,842 | 89,456 |
| 2017 | 111,737 | 90,869 |
| 2018 | 113,374 | 91,348 |
| 2019 | 115,423 | 92,681 |
| 2020 | 110,803 | 92,150 |
| 2021 | 112,846 | 93,316 |
| 2022 | 113,849 | 94,003 |
| 2023 | 114,990 | 94,861 |
| 2024 | 116,373 | 96,051 |
| 2025 | 117,135 | 96,696 |
| 2026 | 118,341 | 97,849 |
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 | South Cambridgeshire | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 557 | 503 | – |
| 2012 | 558 | 502 | – |
| 2013 | 564 | 505 | – |
| 2014 | 568 | 524 | – |
| 2015 | 569 | 529 | 473 |
| 2016 | 571 | 537 | 480 |
| 2017 | 578 | 544 | 488 |
| 2018 | 579 | 542 | 490 |
| 2019 | 583 | 541 | 493 |
| 2020 | 574 | 536 | 489 |
| 2021 | 572 | 539 | 493 |
| 2022 | 567 | 532 | 489 |
| 2023 | 560 | 529 | 489 |
| 2024 | 557 | 531 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in South Cambridgeshire
54.8% of cars in South Cambridgeshire run on petrol and 28.0% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.7% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.1%, and cars that plug in 8.7%.
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 | 71.4% | 28.2% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 69.1% | 30.4% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 67.1% | 32.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 65.3% | 34.1% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 63.3% | 36.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 61.9% | 37.2% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | 60.6% | 38.3% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 59.9% | 38.7% | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 59.8% | 38.3% | 1.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 59.7% | 38.0% | 1.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2020 | 59.6% | 37.6% | 1.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| 2021 | 59.3% | 36.6% | 2.1% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 58.6% | 35.6% | 2.8% | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| 2023 | 57.9% | 34.2% | 3.7% | 2.4% | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 57.0% | 32.5% | 5.0% | 3.3% | 1.7% |
| 2025 | 56.1% | 30.3% | 6.6% | 4.5% | 2.1% |
| 2026 | 54.8% | 28.0% | 8.1% | 5.9% | 2.7% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in South Cambridgeshire
5,812 battery electric cars were licensed in South Cambridgeshire at the end of June 2026, 5.9% of all cars, 27th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 8,470 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 4,382.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 5.4% are battery electric (5,062 cars), the highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 12.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.5% of its cars overall. There are also 129 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 | South Cambridgeshire | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 5.9% | 5.6% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in South Cambridgeshire
There were 353 public chargers in South Cambridgeshire on 1 July 2026, 124 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 205 for every 100,000 residents, 80th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 4.7% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 21.3 privately kept plug-in cars in South Cambridgeshire (UK 12.9), 127th 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 | 337 | 109 |
| Apr 2026 | 384 | 120 |
| Jul 2026 | 353 | 124 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| South Cambridgeshire | 205 | 72 |
| Cambridgeshire | 182 | 58 |
| East of England | 150 | 49 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
South Cambridgeshire has 19 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 4.7% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 6.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Cambridgeshire 020 | 5,855 | 382 | 6.5% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 003 | 6,992 | 425 | 6.1% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 012 | 3,720 | 221 | 5.9% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 014 | 5,333 | 310 | 5.8% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 007 | 4,406 | 245 | 5.6% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 017 | 5,991 | 335 | 5.6% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 010 | 6,613 | 360 | 5.4% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 021 | 7,108 | 383 | 5.4% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 022 | 7,256 | 367 | 5.1% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 018 | 7,318 | 347 | 4.7% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| South Cambridgeshire 015 | 4,167 | 155 | 3.7% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 011 | 5,087 | 193 | 3.8% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 019 | 5,621 | 220 | 3.9% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 016 | 7,117 | 276 | 3.9% | |
| South Cambridgeshire 002 | 4,852 | 190 | 3.9% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in South Cambridgeshire
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 248 | 77 |
| 2022 | 263 | 92 |
| 2023 | 298 | 92 |
| 2024 | 271 | 69 |
| 2025 | 269 | 94 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in South Cambridgeshire
Unleaded petrol averages 172.8p a litre across 18 filling stations in South Cambridgeshire, 1.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 200.9p, 2.2p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- A&A Chapman Ltd Ta Acorn Garage Cambridge 167.9p
- TotalEnergies EG Worstead Cambridge 169.9p
- BP Girton Cambridge 171.9p
How South Cambridgeshire compares
| South Cambridgeshire | 547 | 5.9% | 205 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridgeshire | 493 | 4.8% | 182 |
| East of England | 501 | 5.6% | 150 |
| 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 South Cambridgeshire
There is no DVSA car practical test centre in South Cambridgeshire. The nearest centre is elsewhere in Cambridgeshire.
Centres in Cambridgeshire:
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 Cambridgeshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| South Cambridgeshire | 547 | 5.9% | 205 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 270 | 5.0% | 313 |
| Huntingdonshire | 549 | 5.0% | 175 |
| East Cambridgeshire | 567 | 4.3% | 90 |
| Fenland | 539 | 2.9% | 53 |
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 | 118,341 licensed vehicles in South Cambridgeshire | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 8,710 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 South Cambridgeshire 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.