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South Norfolk motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
114,055 licensed vehicles in South Norfolk
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 88,770 +0.8% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 574 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 3,510 4.0% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.5% 114th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 195 131 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.1% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in South Norfolk?

There were 88,770 licensed cars in South Norfolk at the end of June 2026, and 114,055 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 27.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 574 for every 1,000 residents, 24th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in South Norfolk

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in South Norfolk at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 88,82269,879
2011 90,04270,794
2012 90,80371,867
2013 92,30673,388
2014 94,51775,218
2015 96,23176,682
2016 98,26178,343
2017 100,84380,324
2018 102,75181,747
2019 104,66383,127
2020 104,35983,046
2021 107,66484,897
2022 109,41185,806
2023 110,85986,637
2024 112,08787,417
2025 112,88688,086
2026 114,05588,770

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, South Norfolk compared
Year South NorfolkEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 569503–
2012 572502–
2013 578505–
2014 585524–
2015 590529473
2016 596537480
2017 601544488
2018 603542490
2019 602541493
2020 594536489
2021 596539493
2022 593532489
2023 591529489
2024 589531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in South Norfolk

52.8% of cars in South Norfolk run on petrol and 34.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.4% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.6%, and cars that plug in 5.7%.

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.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in South Norfolk, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 69.1%30.5%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 67.2%32.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 65.5%34.1%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 63.5%36.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 61.6%37.9%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 60.1%39.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 58.9%40.4%0.4%0.1%0.1%
2017 58.0%41.1%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 57.5%41.3%0.7%0.2%0.2%
2019 57.4%41.3%0.8%0.2%0.2%
2020 56.9%41.4%1.0%0.3%0.3%
2021 56.5%41.0%1.4%0.5%0.4%
2022 55.8%40.3%2.0%1.0%0.6%
2023 55.4%39.2%2.8%1.4%0.8%
2024 54.5%38.2%3.9%2.0%0.9%
2025 53.7%36.5%5.2%2.8%1.3%
2026 52.8%34.4%6.6%4.0%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in South Norfolk

3,510 battery electric cars were licensed in South Norfolk at the end of June 2026, 4.0% of all cars, 158th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,096 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,451.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.5% are battery electric (2,945 cars), 15th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 16.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.1% of its cars overall. There are also 93 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, South Norfolk compared, end of March each year
Year South NorfolkEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.5%0.8%0.8%
2022 1.0%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.4%1.9%2.3%
2024 2.0%2.9%3.2%
2025 2.8%4.1%4.4%
2026 4.0%5.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in South Norfolk

There were 195 public chargers in South Norfolk on 1 July 2026, 32 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 131 for every 100,000 residents, 157th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 10.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 22.3 privately kept plug-in cars in South Norfolk (UK 12.9), 111th 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 South Norfolk by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 21732
Apr 2026 21334
Jul 2026 19532

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, South Norfolk compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
South Norfolk 13122
Norfolk 16241
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

South Norfolk has 16 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.6% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.8%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in South Norfolk with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
South Norfolk 002 8,006 386 4.8% 7.0%
South Norfolk 016 5,170 216 4.2% 5.6%
South Norfolk 006 9,186 368 4.0% 5.6%
South Norfolk 009 7,799 285 3.7% 5.4%
South Norfolk 007 9,222 333 3.6% 5.2%
South Norfolk 003 4,987 175 3.5% 5.1%
South Norfolk 008 6,440 185 2.9% 4.5%
South Norfolk 004 4,602 118 2.6% 4.3%
South Norfolk 011 9,088 235 2.6% 3.9%
South Norfolk 005 3,504 89 2.5% 3.3%
Lowest electric shares
South Norfolk 015 6,811 118 1.7% 2.8%
South Norfolk 014 7,076 127 1.8% 2.8%
South Norfolk 017 4,787 96 2.0% 3.0%
South Norfolk 013 5,408 107 2.0% 2.8%
South Norfolk 012 6,292 136 2.2% 3.5%

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

Road traffic and collisions in South Norfolk

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in South Norfolk, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 18339
2022 25161
2023 22370
2024 26777
2025 31196

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in South Norfolk

Unleaded petrol averages 172.8p a litre across 13 filling stations in South Norfolk, 1.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 201.2p, 2.5p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Pace Brooke Garage Limited Norwich 169.9p
  2. Tesco Norwich Harford Bridge Superstore Norwich 169.9p
  3. Poringland Service Station Norwich 169.9p

Every filling station and price in South Norfolk

How South Norfolk compares

South Norfolk compared with Norfolk, the East of England, England, the UK
South Norfolk 574 4.0% 3.5% 4.1% 131 22.3
Norfolk 522 3.3% 2.7% 4.2% 162 13.4
East of England 501 5.6% 3.2% 8.7% 150 17.3
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 South Norfolk

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in South Norfolk. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Norfolk.

Centres in Norfolk:

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 Norfolk

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

Councils in Norfolk
South Norfolk 574 4.0% 3.5% 4.1% 131 22.3
Broadland 576 3.8% 3.2% 3.9% 116 23.8
Breckland 558 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 114 20.2
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 540 3.2% 2.6% 4.1% 172 13.1
Norwich 351 3.0% 1.9% 5.7% 196 5.2
North Norfolk 575 2.8% 2.4% 3.5% 225 9.7
Great Yarmouth 472 2.4% 1.9% 4.7% 211 6.7

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 114,055 licensed vehicles in South Norfolk 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 5,265 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 Norfolk 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.