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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
102,271 licensed vehicles in Swale
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 82,532 +2.3% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 493 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,342 2.8% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.4% 122nd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 169 107 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.4% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Swale?

There were 82,532 licensed cars in Swale at the end of March 2026, and 102,271 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 29.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 493 for every 1,000 residents, 175th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

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 77,47663,722
2011 78,42164,522
2012 79,46965,383
2013 80,42466,470
2014 82,31667,949
2015 83,70269,313
2016 86,58171,574
2017 88,99573,313
2018 90,01874,181
2019 91,81975,369
2020 92,88376,386
2021 93,57876,202
2022 95,08577,083
2023 96,29277,921
2024 97,70779,027
2025 99,53480,649
2026 102,27182,532

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, 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

55.6% of cars in Swale run on petrol and 31.8% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.4% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.8%, and cars that plug in 4.5%.

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 Swale, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 74.5%25.2%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 72.6%27.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 70.8%28.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 68.9%30.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 67.2%32.2%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 65.3%34.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 63.7%35.5%0.5%0.0%0.1%
2017 62.4%36.7%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.4%37.5%0.8%0.1%0.1%
2019 60.8%37.9%0.9%0.1%0.2%
2020 60.1%38.3%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2021 59.3%38.4%1.5%0.3%0.3%
2022 58.3%38.2%2.2%0.6%0.5%
2023 57.9%37.3%2.9%0.9%0.7%
2024 57.3%36.1%4.1%1.3%0.9%
2025 56.8%34.1%5.5%2.0%1.2%
2026 55.6%31.8%7.8%2.8%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Swale

2,342 battery electric cars were licensed in Swale at the end of March 2026, 2.8% of all cars, 81st lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,707 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,594.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.4% are battery electric (1,836 cars), 16th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 21.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.4% of its cars overall. There are also 100 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%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.5%0.3%
2021 0.3%1.0%0.7%
2022 0.6%1.9%1.3%
2023 0.9%3.0%2.1%
2024 1.3%4.2%3.0%
2025 2.0%5.7%4.1%
2026 2.8%8.7%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 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 18.1 privately kept plug-in cars in Swale (UK 11.9), 144th 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, 1.9% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.0%. 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 013 6,169 184 3.0% 4.8%
Swale 009 8,065 230 2.9% 4.9%
Swale 014 5,814 168 2.9% 4.3%
Swale 017 4,492 123 2.7% 4.3%
Swale 008 5,561 141 2.5% 4.2%
Swale 007 8,170 199 2.4% 4.0%
Swale 003 4,517 100 2.2% 3.8%
Swale 016 6,857 145 2.1% 3.3%
Swale 012 4,540 84 1.9% 3.3%
Swale 004 6,450 107 1.7% 2.7%
Lowest electric shares
Swale 001 2,507 5 0.2% 1.1%
Swale 002 2,800 8 0.3% 1.6%
Swale 010 4,017 33 0.8% 1.6%
Swale 006 5,373 65 1.2% 2.4%
Swale 011 4,497 59 1.3% 2.4%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 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 173.0p a litre across 19 filling stations in Swale, 1.3p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.9p, 1.3p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Pace Oak Motors Kent Ltd Faversham 161.9p
  2. Tesco Faversham Superstore Faversham 165.9p
  3. Esso Norton Cross Service Station Sittingbourne 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Swale

How Swale compares

Swale compared with Kent, the South East, England, the UK
Swale 493 2.8% 2.4% 5.4% 107 18.1
Kent 495 3.4% 2.8% 4.9% 128 18.6
South East 496 8.7% 3.2% 18.1% 159 16.9
England 437 5.8% 2.9% 10.6% 173 12.4
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 Kent

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

Councils in Kent
Sevenoaks 551 4.3% 3.6% 5.0% 95 37.2
Dartford 441 4.2% 3.4% 5.6% 194 14.5
Tonbridge and Malling 530 4.1% 3.3% 5.9% 128 18.3
Tunbridge Wells 515 3.8% 3.2% 3.8% 113 25.5
Ashford 511 3.5% 2.8% 4.7% 145 15.9
Canterbury 454 3.5% 2.8% 4.7% 162 14.5
Maidstone 515 3.4% 2.8% 4.4% 83 29.6
Gravesham 461 3.0% 2.4% 5.5% 78 24.7
Dover 497 2.8% 2.3% 4.2% 137 13.6
Swale 493 2.8% 2.4% 5.4% 107 18.1
Folkestone and Hythe 494 2.7% 2.3% 4.3% 211 9.2
Thanet 457 2.6% 2.0% 5.1% 98 18.8

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 102,271 licensed vehicles in Swale 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 3,874 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
Neighbourhoods Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales 15 September 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.