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West Midlands motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
3,665,333 licensed vehicles in West Midlands
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 2,998,076 +1.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 455 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 102,362 3.4% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.5% UK 2.8%
  • Public chargers 10,143 164 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 6.1% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in the West Midlands?

There were 2,998,076 licensed cars in the West Midlands at the end of March 2026, and 3,665,333 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 10.3% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 455 for every 1,000 residents (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in the West Midlands

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in the West Midlands at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 3,316,0202,717,391
2011 3,421,6522,796,520
2012 3,445,7082,826,987
2013 3,435,8532,825,872
2014 3,455,7992,831,107
2015 3,531,3052,886,083
2016 3,625,9762,968,521
2017 3,736,2723,045,756
2018 3,769,8653,071,804
2019 3,767,6183,071,968
2020 3,766,7413,078,564
2021 3,497,7892,859,868
2022 3,553,3272,882,347
2023 3,579,8692,902,527
2024 3,603,1312,932,672
2025 3,634,9722,967,864
2026 3,665,3332,998,076

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, the West Midlands compared
Year West MidlandsEnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 506457–
2012 502455–
2013 503458–
2014 500463–
2015 506466473
2016 513471480
2017 523478488
2018 524480490
2019 519483493
2020 515477489
2021 485482493
2022 480478489
2023 479477489
2024 476478490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in the West Midlands

55.1% of cars in the West Midlands run on petrol and 31.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 42.8% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.9%, and cars that plug in 5.4%.

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 the West Midlands, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 68.8%30.8%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 65.5%34.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2012 63.1%36.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2013 61.6%37.7%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 60.8%38.4%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 59.1%40.0%0.5%0.0%0.1%
2016 57.6%41.3%0.6%0.1%0.2%
2017 56.3%42.4%0.7%0.1%0.4%
2018 55.5%42.8%0.8%0.1%0.5%
2019 55.7%42.2%1.1%0.2%0.7%
2020 56.2%41.1%1.4%0.4%0.8%
2021 58.3%38.8%1.6%0.6%0.5%
2022 57.9%37.7%2.3%1.1%0.7%
2023 57.7%36.5%3.2%1.3%1.0%
2024 57.2%35.1%4.5%1.7%1.1%
2025 56.3%33.2%6.2%2.5%1.4%
2026 55.1%31.2%7.9%3.4%2.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in the West Midlands

102,362 battery electric cars were licensed in the West Midlands at the end of March 2026, 3.4% of all cars. With plug-in hybrids, 160,850 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 73,133.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.5% are battery electric (71,807 cars). Companies keep 29.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 6.1% of its cars overall. There are also 14,014 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, the West Midlands compared, end of March each year
Year West MidlandsEnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.4%0.4%0.3%
2021 0.6%0.7%0.7%
2022 1.1%1.4%1.3%
2023 1.3%2.3%2.1%
2024 1.7%3.2%3.0%
2025 2.5%4.4%4.1%
2026 3.4%5.8%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in the West Midlands

There were 10,143 public chargers in the West Midlands on 1 July 2026, 2,825 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 164 for every 100,000 residents, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 16.7% from 1 January 2025.

For every public charger there are 11.6 privately kept plug-in cars in the West Midlands (UK 11.9). A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.

Public chargers

Public EV chargers in the West Midlands by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2025 8,6892,357
Apr 2025 9,0832,293
Jul 2025 9,7322,354
Oct 2025 9,7232,442
Jan 2026 9,8902,559
Apr 2026 10,0592,676
Jul 2026 10,1432,825

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, the West Midlands compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
West Midlands 16446
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Petrol and diesel prices in West Midlands

Unleaded petrol averages 172.5p a litre across 677 filling stations in West Midlands, 0.8p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.0p, 0.4p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Mapleleaf Express HR7 160.6p
  2. Costco Wholesale Coventry Coventry 160.9p
  3. Costco Wholesale Birmingham Birmingham 161.9p

Every filling station and price in West Midlands

How the West Midlands compares

West Midlands compared with England, the UK
West Midlands 455 3.4% 2.5% 6.1% 164 11.6
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 the West Midlands

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

Councils in the West Midlands
Solihull 495 7.2% 3.1% 13.1% 278 9.4
Lichfield 538 4.9% 3.8% 6.6% 75 41.8
Bromsgrove 552 4.7% 3.8% 5.1% 191 18.3
Warwick 487 4.7% 4.0% 4.7% 201 13.7
Stratford-on-Avon 586 4.4% 3.7% 5.1% 200 16.2
Rugby 508 4.3% 3.6% 4.0% 159 18.0
Stafford 524 4.3% 3.6% 5.2% 148 20.1
Telford and Wrekin 477 3.9% 3.1% 7.4% 137 19.4
South Staffordshire 537 3.8% 3.2% 4.2% 120 21.7
Wychavon 586 3.8% 3.2% 4.5% 150 21.1
Cannock Chase 499 3.7% 2.9% 5.4% 125 16.6
Malvern Hills 591 3.7% 3.1% 3.9% 123 24.3
Redditch 509 3.6% 2.6% 6.1% 81 32.9
East Staffordshire 499 3.5% 2.8% 5.1% 133 16.5
North Warwickshire 545 3.5% 2.6% 5.9% 137 16.7
Tamworth 484 3.5% 2.7% 5.2% 126 23.8
Newcastle-under-Lyme 477 3.3% 2.6% 4.5% 161 12.4
Shropshire 537 3.2% 2.7% 4.8% 155 13.9
Nuneaton and Bedworth 482 3.1% 2.3% 4.6% 59 29.0
Worcester 479 3.1% 2.4% 4.8% 205 8.6
Dudley 470 3.0% 2.3% 5.0% 104 15.9
Herefordshire 563 3.0% 2.5% 4.2% 97 22.0
Staffordshire Moorlands 558 2.9% 2.5% 3.7% 107 20.1
Stoke-on-Trent 412 2.8% 2.0% 6.4% 107 12.3
Wyre Forest 544 2.8% 2.3% 4.2% 69 30.1
Walsall 416 2.7% 2.0% 5.8% 66 21.3
Wolverhampton 400 2.7% 1.9% 5.9% 69 20.0
Birmingham 345 2.6% 1.8% 8.0% 135 8.1
Coventry 384 2.5% 1.9% 6.9% 717 1.7
Sandwell 380 2.4% 1.6% 6.5% 88 16.7

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 3,665,333 licensed vehicles in West Midlands 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 176,843 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
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in the West Midlands 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.
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.