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Welwyn Hatfield motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
74,243 licensed vehicles in Welwyn Hatfield
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 59,567 +1.6% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 458 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,624 4.4% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.6% 93rd highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 430 350 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.5% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Welwyn Hatfield?

There were 59,567 licensed cars in Welwyn Hatfield at the end of June 2026, and 74,243 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 15.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 458 for every 1,000 residents, 119th lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Welwyn Hatfield

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Welwyn Hatfield at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 60,56651,572
2011 61,40251,836
2012 61,68352,239
2013 62,49352,792
2014 64,44053,850
2015 66,00054,713
2016 67,63855,945
2017 69,36656,905
2018 69,48457,195
2019 70,25257,803
2020 69,14457,099
2021 70,76457,695
2022 70,65757,238
2023 71,40957,642
2024 72,24058,349
2025 72,72058,612
2026 74,24359,567

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, Welwyn Hatfield compared
Year Welwyn HatfieldEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 468503–
2012 472502–
2013 471505–
2014 480524–
2015 480529473
2016 480537480
2017 484544488
2018 483542490
2019 485541493
2020 477536489
2021 482539493
2022 476532489
2023 474529489
2024 475531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Welwyn Hatfield

61.5% of cars in Welwyn Hatfield run on petrol and 21.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 31.7% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.6%, and cars that plug in 7.0%.

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 Welwyn Hatfield, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 78.8%20.6%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2011 77.0%22.3%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2012 75.2%24.0%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2013 73.4%25.6%0.8%0.0%0.0%
2014 71.4%27.5%0.9%0.0%0.0%
2015 69.5%29.2%1.0%0.0%0.1%
2016 67.9%30.5%1.2%0.1%0.1%
2017 66.8%31.4%1.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 66.1%31.7%1.6%0.2%0.2%
2019 66.0%31.4%1.9%0.3%0.3%
2020 65.8%31.0%2.2%0.4%0.4%
2021 65.4%30.0%2.9%0.8%0.7%
2022 65.0%28.7%3.7%1.4%1.0%
2023 64.9%27.0%4.7%1.9%1.2%
2024 64.5%24.8%6.2%2.6%1.6%
2025 63.4%22.8%7.8%3.5%2.1%
2026 61.5%21.4%9.6%4.4%2.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Welwyn Hatfield

2,624 battery electric cars were licensed in Welwyn Hatfield at the end of June 2026, 4.4% of all cars, 108th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,183 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,038.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.6% are battery electric (2,022 cars), 12th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 22.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.5% of its cars overall. There are also 367 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, Welwyn Hatfield compared, end of March each year
Year Welwyn HatfieldEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.3%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.4%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.8%0.8%0.8%
2022 1.4%1.2%1.5%
2023 1.9%1.9%2.3%
2024 2.6%2.9%3.2%
2025 3.5%4.1%4.4%
2026 4.4%5.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Welwyn Hatfield

There were 430 public chargers in Welwyn Hatfield on 1 July 2026, 51 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 350 for every 100,000 residents, 29th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 5.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 7.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Welwyn Hatfield (UK 12.9), 50th fewest 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 Welwyn Hatfield by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 45348
Apr 2026 48048
Jul 2026 43051

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Welwyn Hatfield compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Welwyn Hatfield 35042
Hertfordshire 20857
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Welwyn Hatfield has 16 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, 5.4%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Welwyn Hatfield with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Welwyn Hatfield 001 4,447 241 5.4% 8.3%
Welwyn Hatfield 015 4,083 194 4.8% 8.4%
Welwyn Hatfield 002 4,987 234 4.7% 7.2%
Welwyn Hatfield 006 3,550 160 4.5% 7.1%
Welwyn Hatfield 016 3,863 160 4.1% 8.7%
Welwyn Hatfield 003 3,232 127 3.9% 5.8%
Welwyn Hatfield 005 3,520 131 3.7% 5.1%
Welwyn Hatfield 011 3,790 128 3.4% 5.3%
Welwyn Hatfield 008 4,050 108 2.7% 4.1%
Welwyn Hatfield 009 3,725 95 2.6% 4.4%
Lowest electric shares
Welwyn Hatfield 013 3,900 73 1.9% 3.5%
Welwyn Hatfield 012 3,315 66 2.0% 4.0%
Welwyn Hatfield 010 4,964 103 2.1% 4.3%
Welwyn Hatfield 017 3,211 73 2.3% 4.2%
Welwyn Hatfield 004 3,251 74 2.3% 4.2%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Welwyn Hatfield

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Welwyn Hatfield, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 16537
2022 18647
2023 17033
2024 17239
2025 12228

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Welwyn Hatfield

Unleaded petrol averages 172.7p a litre across 7 filling stations in Welwyn Hatfield, 1.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.5p, 0.8p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Esso MFG Bell Bar Hatfield 168.9p
  2. Certas Energy (Gulf) Yarl Petroleum Limited AL10 169.7p
  3. BP Welham Green Welham Green 169.9p

Every filling station and price in Welwyn Hatfield

How Welwyn Hatfield compares

Welwyn Hatfield compared with Hertfordshire, the East of England, England, the UK
Welwyn Hatfield 458 4.4% 3.6% 5.5% 350 7.8
Hertfordshire 488 4.6% 3.8% 4.5% 208 14.9
East of England 501 5.6% 3.2% 8.7% 150 17.3
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 Welwyn Hatfield

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Welwyn Hatfield. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Hertfordshire.

Centres in Hertfordshire:

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 Hertfordshire

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

Councils in Hertfordshire
St Albans 503 5.8% 5.0% 3.7% 111 36.8
Hertsmere 469 5.7% 4.4% 6.5% 229 15.2
Three Rivers 513 5.1% 4.2% 4.2% 161 23.4
North Hertfordshire 515 4.7% 4.0% 4.3% 117 27.7
East Hertfordshire 529 4.4% 3.7% 3.8% 135 24.6
Welwyn Hatfield 458 4.4% 3.6% 5.5% 350 7.8
Dacorum 508 4.2% 3.5% 4.1% 159 19.0
Watford 398 4.0% 3.0% 5.4% 563 4.0
Broxbourne 486 3.4% 2.8% 4.7% 153 15.8
Stevenage 450 3.1% 2.6% 4.3% 194 9.8

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 74,243 licensed vehicles in Welwyn Hatfield 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 4,682 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 Welwyn Hatfield 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.