South East · District council

Woking motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
63,462 licensed vehicles in Woking
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 56,058 +0.3% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 514 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 2,167 3.9% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.4% 80th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 289 274 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 3.2% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Woking?

There were 56,058 licensed cars in Woking at the end of March 2026, and 63,462 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 10.1% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 514 for every 1,000 residents, 121st highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Woking

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Woking at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 57,28350,934
2011 58,00251,510
2012 58,51051,939
2013 58,73552,266
2014 59,98253,264
2015 60,60153,722
2016 61,57754,635
2017 62,49955,408
2018 62,54455,357
2019 63,02855,685
2020 63,23155,990
2021 62,13854,717
2022 62,37354,760
2023 62,66954,972
2024 63,24655,511
2025 63,25855,879
2026 63,46256,058

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, Woking compared
Year WokingSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 519534
2012 519535
2013 518541
2014 524547
2015 523551473
2016 526559480
2017 532567488
2018 532570490
2019 535572493
2020 531561489
2021 530564493
2022 526565489
2023 526567489
2024 527570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Woking

62.5% of cars in Woking run on petrol and 21.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 31.9% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.2%, and cars that plug in 6.5%.

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 Woking, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 78.9%20.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2011 77.2%22.1%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2012 75.0%24.2%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2013 73.0%26.0%0.7%0.0%0.0%
2014 70.9%27.9%0.9%0.0%0.0%
2015 69.2%29.5%1.1%0.0%0.0%
2016 67.7%30.8%1.2%0.1%0.1%
2017 66.5%31.8%1.4%0.1%0.1%
2018 65.9%31.9%1.6%0.2%0.2%
2019 65.7%31.7%1.9%0.2%0.3%
2020 65.4%31.3%2.2%0.4%0.4%
2021 65.2%30.6%2.8%0.6%0.6%
2022 64.5%29.8%3.6%1.0%0.9%
2023 64.2%28.0%4.6%1.6%1.3%
2024 64.0%25.8%5.9%2.2%1.8%
2025 63.4%23.5%7.6%2.9%2.2%
2026 62.5%21.4%9.2%3.9%2.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Woking

2,167 battery electric cars were licensed in Woking at the end of March 2026, 3.9% of all cars, 126th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 3,648 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,635.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.4% are battery electric (1,852 cars), 22nd highest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 14.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.2% of its cars overall. There are also 50 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, Woking compared, end of March each year
Year WokingSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.2%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.4%0.5%0.3%
2021 0.6%1.0%0.7%
2022 1.0%1.9%1.3%
2023 1.6%3.0%2.1%
2024 2.2%4.2%3.0%
2025 2.9%5.7%4.1%
2026 3.9%8.7%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Woking

There were 289 public chargers in Woking on 1 July 2026, 24 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 274 for every 100,000 residents, 43rd highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 9.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 12.1 privately kept plug-in cars in Woking (UK 11.9), 124th 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 Woking by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 26524
Apr 2026 26824
Jul 2026 28924

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Woking compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Woking 27423
Surrey 18535
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Woking has 12 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, 4.9%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Woking with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Woking 010 3,707 181 4.9% 7.9%
Woking 006 3,983 189 4.7% 7.9%
Woking 003 5,640 249 4.4% 7.7%
Woking 012 4,881 212 4.3% 6.9%
Woking 002 6,221 247 4.0% 7.2%
Woking 008 4,788 147 3.1% 5.0%
Woking 011 5,907 175 3.0% 4.9%
Woking 007 4,997 125 2.5% 4.4%
Woking 009 4,138 91 2.2% 3.5%
Woking 001 4,975 92 1.8% 3.7%
Lowest electric shares
Woking 005 5,094 78 1.5% 3.0%
Woking 004 5,233 94 1.8% 4.5%
Woking 001 4,975 92 1.8% 3.7%
Woking 009 4,138 91 2.2% 3.5%
Woking 007 4,997 125 2.5% 4.4%

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

Road traffic and collisions in Woking

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Woking, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 17449
2022 18844
2023 20349
2024 20952
2025 19251

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Woking

Unleaded petrol averages 171.0p a litre across 11 filling stations in Woking, 0.7p below the UK average. Diesel averages 194.1p, 0.5p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

How Woking compares

Woking compared with Surrey, the South East, England, the UK
Woking 514 3.9% 3.4% 3.2% 274 12.1
Surrey 524 4.5% 3.7% 5.6% 185 21.3
South East 496 8.7% 3.2% 18.1% 159 16.9
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 Surrey

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

Councils in Surrey
Elmbridge 528 5.7% 4.5% 4.2% 181 30.9
Guildford 499 4.8% 4.1% 4.7% 182 19.6
Waverley 565 4.7% 4.2% 2.9% 155 31.6
Epsom and Ewell 461 4.6% 3.7% 4.0% 131 27.0
Mole Valley 591 4.5% 3.6% 15.6% 286 12.5
Reigate and Banstead 498 4.4% 3.4% 9.3% 123 35.9
Runnymede 496 4.4% 3.4% 6.0% 246 13.8
Surrey Heath 572 4.4% 3.8% 3.4% 207 20.9
Tandridge 552 4.0% 3.3% 3.8% 138 30.0
Woking 514 3.9% 3.4% 3.2% 274 12.1
Spelthorne 493 3.2% 2.6% 3.6% 160 18.5

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 63,462 licensed vehicles in Woking 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 3,751 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
Neighbourhoods Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales 15 September 2026
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Woking 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.