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Winchester motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
94,669 licensed vehicles in Winchester
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 75,131 +1.1% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 527 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 4,039 5.4% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 4.7% 15th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 289 213 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.9% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Winchester?

There were 75,131 licensed cars in Winchester at the end of June 2026, and 94,669 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 19.9% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 527 for every 1,000 residents, 110th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Winchester

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Winchester at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 76,27362,657
2011 77,12563,380
2012 77,96963,964
2013 79,22564,975
2014 80,46566,044
2015 81,03366,473
2016 82,30967,248
2017 84,14368,419
2018 84,75468,765
2019 86,45669,808
2020 86,18969,472
2021 88,57170,833
2022 89,92071,665
2023 91,13972,571
2024 92,72673,620
2025 93,83574,333
2026 94,66975,131

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, Winchester compared
Year WinchesterSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 543534–
2012 543535–
2013 547541–
2014 551547–
2015 547551473
2016 547559480
2017 553567488
2018 555570490
2019 561572493
2020 552561489
2021 554564493
2022 549565489
2023 545567489
2024 543570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Winchester

56.3% of cars in Winchester run on petrol and 27.3% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 40.0% in 2016. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.8%, and cars that plug in 8.0%.

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 Winchester, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 68.9%30.6%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2011 67.0%32.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2012 65.1%34.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2013 63.3%36.0%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2014 61.4%37.8%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2015 60.0%39.1%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2016 58.9%40.0%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2017 58.7%39.9%0.9%0.2%0.2%
2018 58.8%39.4%1.0%0.2%0.4%
2019 59.2%38.7%1.2%0.3%0.5%
2020 59.6%37.8%1.4%0.6%0.6%
2021 59.6%36.5%1.9%1.0%0.9%
2022 59.3%35.2%2.5%1.6%1.1%
2023 58.8%33.5%3.4%2.4%1.4%
2024 58.3%31.7%4.7%3.1%1.8%
2025 57.5%29.6%6.2%4.1%2.2%
2026 56.3%27.3%7.8%5.4%2.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Winchester

4,039 battery electric cars were licensed in Winchester at the end of June 2026, 5.4% of all cars, 36th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 6,037 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,022.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.7% are battery electric (3,349 cars), 5th highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 17.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.9% of its cars overall. There are also 123 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, Winchester compared, end of March each year
Year WinchesterSouth EastUnited 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 0.6%0.5%0.4%
2021 1.0%1.1%0.8%
2022 1.6%2.2%1.5%
2023 2.4%3.3%2.3%
2024 3.1%4.5%3.2%
2025 4.1%6.4%4.4%
2026 5.4%9.3%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Winchester

There were 289 public chargers in Winchester on 1 July 2026, 108 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 213 for every 100,000 residents, 71st highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 2.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 17.7 privately kept plug-in cars in Winchester (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

Public EV chargers in Winchester by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 283107
Apr 2026 274100
Jul 2026 289108

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Winchester compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Winchester 21380
Hampshire 13450
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Winchester has 14 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 4.1% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.9%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Winchester with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Winchester 003 6,235 367 5.9% 8.8%
Winchester 013 11,670 571 4.9% 6.8%
Winchester 005 4,858 229 4.7% 7.0%
Winchester 007 4,403 200 4.5% 7.2%
Winchester 009 5,100 230 4.5% 7.0%
Winchester 010 7,119 303 4.3% 6.6%
Winchester 001 4,316 181 4.2% 6.2%
Winchester 002 4,730 190 4.0% 6.8%
Winchester 011 7,564 292 3.9% 6.2%
Winchester 014 8,414 331 3.9% 5.6%
Lowest electric shares
Winchester 008 2,245 36 1.6% 3.2%
Winchester 006 3,062 93 3.0% 4.4%
Winchester 004 6,381 223 3.5% 5.2%
Winchester 012 7,977 287 3.6% 5.6%
Winchester 014 8,414 331 3.9% 5.6%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Winchester

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Winchester, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 25166
2022 28672
2023 27370
2024 30593
2025 32085

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Winchester

Unleaded petrol averages 176.3p a litre across 12 filling stations in Winchester, 4.8p above the UK average. Diesel averages 205.0p, 6.3p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Gulf Meringtons Stores Southampton 166.9p
  2. Sainsbury's Bishops Waltham Bishops Waltham 167.9p
  3. Esso MFG Winchester Winchester 169.9p

Every filling station and price in Winchester

How Winchester compares

Winchester compared with Hampshire, the South East, England, the UK
Winchester 527 5.4% 4.7% 4.9% 213 17.7
Hampshire 551 4.4% 3.6% 14.0% 134 23.0
South East 499 9.3% 3.5% 18.5% 159 17.7
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 Winchester

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Winchester, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 52.2% at Winchester.

Other centres in Hampshire:

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 Hampshire

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

Councils in Hampshire
Winchester 527 5.4% 4.7% 4.9% 213 17.7
Hart 599 5.2% 4.2% 4.2% 210 18.7
Eastleigh 544 4.7% 3.8% 4.6% 117 25.4
East Hampshire 600 4.6% 4.0% 3.3% 84 45.1
Rushmoor 482 4.6% 2.6% 66.2% 156 13.1
Test Valley 565 4.5% 3.9% 3.9% 118 28.3
Basingstoke and Deane 529 4.4% 3.9% 3.2% 141 22.4
Fareham 568 4.3% 3.7% 3.0% 62 52.0
New Forest 606 3.6% 3.1% 3.3% 177 17.2
Havant 510 3.5% 2.7% 4.8% 72 29.4
Gosport 475 2.7% 2.2% 3.3% 100 16.3

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 94,669 licensed vehicles in Winchester 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 6,258 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 Winchester 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.