South East · District council
Tunbridge Wells motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Tunbridge Wells, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Tunbridge Wells compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 64,404 +0.7% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 518 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 2,579 4.0% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.4% 130th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 135 113 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 3.8% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Tunbridge Wells?
There were 64,404 licensed cars in Tunbridge Wells at the end of June 2026, and 75,545 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 13.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 518 for every 1,000 residents, 121st highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Tunbridge Wells
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66,133 | 56,609 |
| 2011 | 66,796 | 57,116 |
| 2012 | 67,534 | 57,585 |
| 2013 | 68,148 | 58,151 |
| 2014 | 68,635 | 58,780 |
| 2015 | 69,068 | 59,067 |
| 2016 | 70,184 | 59,951 |
| 2017 | 70,932 | 60,884 |
| 2018 | 71,100 | 60,984 |
| 2019 | 72,104 | 61,782 |
| 2020 | 71,452 | 61,258 |
| 2021 | 73,118 | 62,295 |
| 2022 | 73,416 | 62,413 |
| 2023 | 74,012 | 62,922 |
| 2024 | 74,700 | 63,629 |
| 2025 | 75,045 | 63,936 |
| 2026 | 75,545 | 64,404 |
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 | Tunbridge Wells | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 496 | 534 | – |
| 2012 | 499 | 535 | – |
| 2013 | 505 | 541 | – |
| 2014 | 510 | 547 | – |
| 2015 | 515 | 551 | 473 |
| 2016 | 520 | 559 | 480 |
| 2017 | 527 | 567 | 488 |
| 2018 | 531 | 570 | 490 |
| 2019 | 537 | 572 | 493 |
| 2020 | 531 | 561 | 489 |
| 2021 | 539 | 564 | 493 |
| 2022 | 537 | 565 | 489 |
| 2023 | 534 | 567 | 489 |
| 2024 | 532 | 570 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Tunbridge Wells
60.8% of cars in Tunbridge Wells run on petrol and 23.3% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 34.1% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.8%, and cars that plug in 6.6%.
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 | 74.0% | 25.6% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 72.2% | 27.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 70.3% | 29.1% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 68.9% | 30.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 67.3% | 31.9% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 66.0% | 33.1% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | 64.9% | 33.9% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 64.4% | 34.1% | 1.0% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 64.2% | 33.9% | 1.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 64.4% | 33.3% | 1.5% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 2020 | 64.5% | 32.8% | 1.7% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| 2021 | 64.3% | 31.8% | 2.3% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 63.5% | 30.9% | 3.0% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 29.4% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 62.6% | 27.4% | 5.4% | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| 2025 | 62.0% | 25.2% | 7.1% | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| 2026 | 60.8% | 23.3% | 8.8% | 4.0% | 2.6% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Tunbridge Wells
2,579 battery electric cars were licensed in Tunbridge Wells at the end of June 2026, 4.0% of all cars, 158th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,281 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,955.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.4% are battery electric (2,125 cars), 32nd lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 17.6% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.8% of its cars overall. There are also 53 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 | Tunbridge Wells | South East | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | 2.2% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 3.1% | 6.4% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 4.0% | 9.3% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Tunbridge Wells
There were 135 public chargers in Tunbridge Wells on 1 July 2026, 63 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 113 for every 100,000 residents, 116th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 12.5% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 27.2 privately kept plug-in cars in Tunbridge Wells (UK 12.9), 61st 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 | 120 | 45 |
| Apr 2026 | 135 | 53 |
| Jul 2026 | 135 | 63 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Tunbridge Wells | 113 | 53 |
| Kent | 128 | 44 |
| South East | 159 | 40 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Tunbridge Wells has 14 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.1% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tunbridge Wells 006 | 5,077 | 210 | 4.1% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 012 | 4,868 | 195 | 4.0% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 003 | 4,933 | 188 | 3.8% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 007 | 3,830 | 145 | 3.8% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 009 | 4,947 | 177 | 3.6% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 013 | 5,569 | 193 | 3.5% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 001 | 7,831 | 245 | 3.1% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 002 | 4,604 | 141 | 3.1% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 011 | 6,581 | 199 | 3.0% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 004 | 5,421 | 138 | 2.5% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Tunbridge Wells 005 | 3,430 | 69 | 2.0% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 010 | 3,136 | 69 | 2.2% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 014 | 6,364 | 147 | 2.3% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 008 | 3,850 | 97 | 2.5% | |
| Tunbridge Wells 004 | 5,421 | 138 | 2.5% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Tunbridge Wells
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 214 | 51 |
| 2022 | 238 | 49 |
| 2023 | 255 | 73 |
| 2024 | 173 | 55 |
| 2025 | 194 | 50 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Tunbridge Wells
Unleaded petrol averages 173.7p a litre across 8 filling stations in Tunbridge Wells, 2.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 197.0p, 1.7p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Sainsbury's Tunbridge Wells Tunbridge Wells 169.9p
- BP MFG Highgate Hawkhurst 171.9p
- Esso Rontec Pantiles Tunbridge Wells 172.9p
How Tunbridge Wells compares
| Tunbridge Wells | 518 | 4.0% | 113 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | 498 | 3.7% | 128 |
| South East | 499 | 9.3% | 159 |
| 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 Tunbridge Wells
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Tunbridge Wells, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 64.5% at Tunbridge Wells.
Other centres in Kent:
- Maidstone 60.2% pass rate, 2025/26
- Sevenoaks 59.0% pass rate, 2025/26
- Herne Bay 55.9% pass rate, 2025/26
- Ashford (Kent) 46.2% pass rate, 2025/26
- Canterbury 45.8% pass rate, 2025/26
- Folkestone 42.4% 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 Kent
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Dartford | 443 | 4.5% | 194 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sevenoaks | 554 | 4.5% | 95 |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 534 | 4.4% | 128 |
| Tunbridge Wells | 518 | 4.0% | 113 |
| Canterbury | 458 | 3.9% | 162 |
| Ashford | 516 | 3.8% | 145 |
| Maidstone | 520 | 3.7% | 83 |
| Gravesham | 465 | 3.2% | 78 |
| Swale | 497 | 3.2% | 107 |
| Dover | 499 | 3.0% | 137 |
| Folkestone and Hythe | 498 | 3.0% | 211 |
| Thanet | 461 | 2.8% | 98 |
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 | 75,545 licensed vehicles in Tunbridge Wells | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 4,384 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 Tunbridge Wells 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.