South West · District council
Torridge motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Torridge, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Torridge compares with the South West. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 40,582 +1.5% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 555 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 1,054 2.6% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.2% 59th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 75 107 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.5% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Torridge?
There were 40,582 licensed cars in Torridge at the end of June 2026, and 58,324 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 20.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 555 for every 1,000 residents, 46th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Torridge
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 45,045 | 33,754 |
| 2011 | 45,671 | 34,035 |
| 2012 | 46,119 | 34,201 |
| 2013 | 47,003 | 34,759 |
| 2014 | 48,003 | 35,345 |
| 2015 | 48,472 | 35,603 |
| 2016 | 49,597 | 36,303 |
| 2017 | 51,175 | 37,190 |
| 2018 | 51,581 | 37,432 |
| 2019 | 52,560 | 37,947 |
| 2020 | 51,940 | 37,549 |
| 2021 | 54,174 | 38,576 |
| 2022 | 54,771 | 38,668 |
| 2023 | 55,479 | 38,958 |
| 2024 | 56,285 | 39,503 |
| 2025 | 57,151 | 39,987 |
| 2026 | 58,324 | 40,582 |
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 | Torridge | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 532 | 524 | – |
| 2012 | 529 | 527 | – |
| 2013 | 536 | 533 | – |
| 2014 | 541 | 541 | – |
| 2015 | 541 | 546 | 473 |
| 2016 | 546 | 550 | 480 |
| 2017 | 551 | 565 | 488 |
| 2018 | 552 | 569 | 490 |
| 2019 | 559 | 580 | 493 |
| 2020 | 555 | 573 | 489 |
| 2021 | 564 | 575 | 493 |
| 2022 | 563 | 571 | 489 |
| 2023 | 562 | 570 | 489 |
| 2024 | 566 | 571 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Torridge
50.2% of cars in Torridge run on petrol and 39.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 43.9% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 5.9%, and cars that plug in 3.9%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.4% | 33.2% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 64.7% | 35.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 63.1% | 36.5% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 61.7% | 37.9% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 59.9% | 39.6% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 58.3% | 41.0% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | 56.8% | 42.5% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.9% | 43.2% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 55.2% | 43.8% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 55.1% | 43.5% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 54.6% | 43.8% | 1.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 53.6% | 43.9% | 1.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 53.2% | 43.5% | 1.9% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| 2023 | 52.6% | 43.0% | 2.5% | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| 2024 | 52.0% | 42.0% | 3.5% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| 2025 | 51.2% | 41.0% | 4.5% | 1.8% | 1.0% |
| 2026 | 50.2% | 39.7% | 5.9% | 2.6% | 1.3% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Torridge
1,054 battery electric cars were licensed in Torridge at the end of June 2026, 2.6% of all cars, 28th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 1,573 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 733.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.2% are battery electric (858 cars), 5th lowest of 27 councils in the South West. Companies keep 18.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.5% of its cars overall. There are also 62 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 | Torridge | South West | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | 2.3% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | 3.5% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 1.8% | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 2.6% | 5.2% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Torridge
There were 75 public chargers in Torridge on 1 July 2026, 9 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 107 for every 100,000 residents, 107th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 0.0% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 17.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Torridge (UK 12.9), 176th 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 | 75 | 10 |
| Apr 2026 | 77 | 10 |
| Jul 2026 | 75 | 9 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Torridge | 107 | 13 |
| Devon | 176 | 61 |
| South West | 157 | 50 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Torridge has 9 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 2.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torridge 002 | 4,667 | 118 | 2.5% |
| Torridge 007 | 6,565 | 137 | 2.1% |
| Torridge 001 | 4,179 | 77 | 1.8% |
| Torridge 008 | 8,293 | 153 | 1.8% |
| Torridge 005 | 5,244 | 87 | 1.7% |
| Torridge 004 | 7,944 | 124 | 1.6% |
| Torridge 009 | 6,825 | 112 | 1.6% |
| Torridge 006 | 3,647 | 42 | 1.2% |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.
Road traffic and collisions in Torridge
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 101 | 22 |
| 2022 | 126 | 37 |
| 2023 | 110 | 26 |
| 2024 | 105 | 16 |
| 2025 | 100 | 19 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
How Torridge compares
| Torridge | 555 | 2.6% | 107 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devon | 520 | 3.5% | 176 |
| South West | 509 | 5.2% | 157 |
| 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 Torridge
There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Torridge. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Devon.
Centres in Devon:
- Newton Abbot 53.8% pass rate, 2025/26
- Barnstaple 51.4% pass rate, 2025/26
- Exeter 46.8% pass rate, 2025/26
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 Devon
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Exeter | 357 | 5.2% | 259 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Hams | 572 | 3.9% | 145 |
| East Devon | 546 | 3.4% | 200 |
| Teignbridge | 551 | 3.3% | 147 |
| Mid Devon | 562 | 3.1% | 91 |
| West Devon | 564 | 3.1% | 178 |
| North Devon | 518 | 2.7% | 208 |
| Torridge | 555 | 2.6% | 107 |
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 | 58,324 licensed vehicles in Torridge | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 1,666 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 Torridge 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.