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Swale motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
103,529 licensed vehicles in Swale
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 83,241 +2.3% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 497 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,636 3.2% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.7% 120th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 169 107 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.4% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Swale?

There were 83,241 licensed cars in Swale at the end of June 2026, and 103,529 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 29.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 497 for every 1,000 residents, 171st highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Swale

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Swale at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 78,39064,234
2011 79,27864,998
2012 80,38665,958
2013 81,67367,237
2014 83,95369,053
2015 84,97470,090
2016 87,42871,925
2017 89,98173,905
2018 91,11974,788
2019 92,66175,812
2020 92,44375,669
2021 95,05977,113
2022 95,98977,399
2023 97,41378,478
2024 98,78679,715
2025 101,10681,330
2026 103,52983,241

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, Swale compared
Year SwaleSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 477534–
2012 479535–
2013 483541–
2014 490547–
2015 491551473
2016 495559480
2017 503567488
2018 504570490
2019 506572493
2020 503561489
2021 507564493
2022 501565489
2023 503567489
2024 503570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Swale

55.4% of cars in Swale run on petrol and 31.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.4% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.1%, and cars that plug in 4.9%.

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 Swale, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.2%25.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 72.2%27.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 70.3%29.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 68.7%30.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 66.9%32.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 65.1%34.2%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 63.4%35.8%0.5%0.0%0.1%
2017 62.2%36.9%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.5%37.4%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2019 60.6%38.0%0.9%0.1%0.2%
2020 59.9%38.4%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2021 59.1%38.4%1.6%0.3%0.4%
2022 58.3%37.9%2.4%0.6%0.6%
2023 57.8%37.0%3.2%1.0%0.7%
2024 57.3%35.6%4.4%1.4%0.9%
2025 56.8%33.4%5.9%2.1%1.3%
2026 55.4%31.2%8.1%3.2%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Swale

2,636 battery electric cars were licensed in Swale at the end of June 2026, 3.2% of all cars, 96th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,114 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,744.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.7% are battery electric (2,117 cars), 16th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 19.7% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.4% of its cars overall. There are also 104 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, Swale compared, end of March each year
Year SwaleSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.3%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.5%0.4%
2021 0.3%1.1%0.8%
2022 0.6%2.2%1.5%
2023 1.0%3.3%2.3%
2024 1.4%4.5%3.2%
2025 2.1%6.4%4.4%
2026 3.2%9.3%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Swale

There were 169 public chargers in Swale on 1 July 2026, 71 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 107 for every 100,000 residents, 104th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 2.9% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 20.3 privately kept plug-in cars in Swale (UK 12.9), 132nd 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 Swale by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 17473
Apr 2026 16870
Jul 2026 16971

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Swale compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Swale 10745
Kent 12844
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Swale has 17 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.1% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Swale with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Swale 009 8,174 264 3.2% 5.4%
Swale 013 6,243 198 3.2% 5.1%
Swale 017 4,557 145 3.2% 4.9%
Swale 014 5,876 184 3.1% 4.6%
Swale 007 8,285 235 2.8% 4.5%
Swale 008 5,652 156 2.8% 4.6%
Swale 003 4,576 114 2.5% 4.2%
Swale 016 6,984 162 2.3% 3.8%
Swale 005 4,381 91 2.1% 3.6%
Swale 004 6,511 130 2.0% 3.2%
Lowest electric shares
Swale 001 2,504 6 0.2% 1.3%
Swale 002 2,835 9 0.3% 1.7%
Swale 010 4,046 36 0.9% 1.7%
Swale 006 5,455 74 1.4% 2.7%
Swale 011 4,543 69 1.5% 2.7%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Swale

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Swale, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 33976
2022 35069
2023 32468
2024 27485
2025 27776

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Swale

Unleaded petrol averages 174.2p a litre across 14 filling stations in Swale, 2.7p above the UK average. Diesel averages 201.1p, 2.4p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso MFG Rhode House Sittingbourne 171.9p
  2. Asda Sittingbourne Superstore Sittingbourne 172.9p
  3. BP MFG Milton Regis Sittingbourne 172.9p

Every filling station and price in Swale

How Swale compares

Swale compared with Kent, the South East, England, the UK
Swale 497 3.2% 2.7% 5.4% 107 20.3
Kent 498 3.7% 3.1% 4.9% 128 20.1
South East 499 9.3% 3.5% 18.5% 159 17.7
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 Swale

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Swale. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Kent.

Centres in Kent:

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 Kent

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

Councils in Kent
Dartford 443 4.5% 3.7% 5.6% 194 14.2
Sevenoaks 554 4.5% 3.9% 4.9% 95 39.0
Tonbridge and Malling 534 4.4% 3.6% 5.9% 128 24.8
Tunbridge Wells 518 4.0% 3.4% 3.8% 113 27.2
Canterbury 458 3.9% 3.1% 4.8% 162 14.1
Ashford 516 3.8% 3.1% 4.7% 145 18.1
Maidstone 520 3.7% 3.1% 4.4% 83 32.5
Gravesham 465 3.2% 2.6% 5.6% 78 28.8
Swale 497 3.2% 2.7% 5.4% 107 20.3
Dover 499 3.0% 2.6% 4.2% 137 15.2
Folkestone and Hythe 498 3.0% 2.5% 4.3% 211 9.9
Thanet 461 2.8% 2.2% 5.0% 98 17.1

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 103,529 licensed vehicles in Swale 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 4,289 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 Swale 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.