My Garage

Popular searches

South East · District council

Thanet motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
82,155 licensed vehicles in Thanet
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 68,744 +1.6% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 457 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 1,820 2.6% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.0% 66th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 140 98 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.1% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Thanet?

There were 68,744 licensed cars in Thanet at the end of March 2026, and 82,155 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.1% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 457 for every 1,000 residents, 124th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Thanet

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Thanet at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 66,21356,299
2011 66,78256,750
2012 67,03956,887
2013 67,57157,468
2014 69,07158,639
2015 70,36359,816
2016 72,50661,604
2017 74,31962,885
2018 74,85463,326
2019 76,08864,097
2020 76,82264,876
2021 77,50765,077
2022 78,47165,440
2023 78,77965,655
2024 79,95266,746
2025 80,81367,649
2026 82,15568,744

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, Thanet compared
Year ThanetSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 423534–
2012 422535–
2013 423541–
2014 429547–
2015 433551473
2016 441559480
2017 449567488
2018 451570490
2019 458572493
2020 458561489
2021 468564493
2022 466565489
2023 470567489
2024 471570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Thanet

58.6% of cars in Thanet run on petrol and 30.8% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 35.2% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.3%, and cars that plug in 4.1%.

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 Thanet, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 77.9%21.8%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 76.2%23.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 74.3%25.3%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 72.6%26.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 70.7%28.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 68.8%30.6%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 67.2%32.0%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2017 65.7%33.4%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 64.9%34.0%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 64.3%34.4%0.9%0.1%0.1%
2020 63.7%34.7%1.1%0.2%0.2%
2021 62.7%35.2%1.4%0.3%0.2%
2022 61.8%35.0%2.0%0.6%0.4%
2023 61.0%34.6%2.6%1.0%0.6%
2024 60.1%34.0%3.6%1.3%0.7%
2025 59.5%32.5%4.9%1.9%1.0%
2026 58.6%30.8%6.3%2.6%1.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Thanet

1,820 battery electric cars were licensed in Thanet at the end of March 2026, 2.6% of all cars, 57th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,799 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,297.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.0% are battery electric (1,325 cars), 6th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 27.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.1% of its cars overall. There are also 43 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, Thanet compared, end of March each year
Year ThanetSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%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 1.0%3.0%2.1%
2024 1.3%4.2%3.0%
2025 1.9%5.7%4.1%
2026 2.6%8.7%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Thanet

There were 140 public chargers in Thanet on 1 July 2026, 49 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 98 for every 100,000 residents, 86th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 33.3% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 18.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Thanet (UK 11.9), 131st 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 Thanet by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 10538
Apr 2026 11742
Jul 2026 14049

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Thanet compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Thanet 9834
Kent 12844
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Thanet 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, 2.7%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Thanet with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Thanet 002 5,716 155 2.7% 4.7%
Thanet 017 5,369 142 2.6% 3.9%
Thanet 009 4,384 110 2.5% 3.8%
Thanet 014 6,521 161 2.5% 3.9%
Thanet 010 3,763 90 2.4% 3.9%
Thanet 008 5,602 118 2.1% 3.5%
Thanet 011 4,637 95 2.0% 3.5%
Thanet 005 4,852 91 1.9% 3.2%
Thanet 012 4,244 68 1.6% 2.6%
Thanet 004 3,836 50 1.3% 2.1%
Lowest electric shares
Thanet 003 3,218 27 0.8% 1.4%
Thanet 016 3,584 31 0.9% 1.8%
Thanet 006 3,667 39 1.1% 1.9%
Thanet 007 4,986 58 1.2% 2.2%
Thanet 013 4,213 53 1.3% 1.8%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 2 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Thanet

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Thanet, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 29068
2022 31064
2023 28559
2024 24370
2025 27382

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Thanet

Unleaded petrol averages 168.8p a litre across 14 filling stations in Thanet, 2.9p below the UK average. Diesel averages 191.9p, 2.7p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Broadstairs Extra Broadstairs 161.9p
  2. Pegwellbay Service Station Ramsgate 161.9p
  3. Sainsbury's Thanet Ramsgate 161.9p

Every filling station and price in Thanet

How Thanet compares

Thanet compared with Kent, the South East, England, the UK
Thanet 457 2.6% 2.0% 5.1% 98 18.8
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 82,155 licensed vehicles in Thanet 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 2,884 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 Thanet 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.