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Wolverhampton motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
140,609 licensed vehicles in Wolverhampton
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 119,622 +1.6% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 400 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 3,217 2.7% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.9% 52nd lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 193 69 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.9% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Wolverhampton?

There were 119,622 licensed cars in Wolverhampton at the end of March 2026, and 140,609 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 26.5% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 400 for every 1,000 residents, 76th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Wolverhampton

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Wolverhampton at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 109,63194,579
2011 110,27295,225
2012 110,06094,995
2013 110,07495,253
2014 112,39797,338
2015 114,53299,345
2016 117,755102,189
2017 122,179105,947
2018 125,056107,292
2019 127,930108,709
2020 128,886110,043
2021 130,747110,414
2022 131,172111,197
2023 133,261112,999
2024 136,403115,745
2025 138,135117,744
2026 140,609119,622

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, Wolverhampton compared
Year WolverhamptonWest MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2011 381506–
2012 378502–
2013 381503–
2014 387500–
2015 391506473
2016 398513480
2017 408523488
2018 410524490
2019 415519493
2020 414515489
2021 422485493
2022 416480489
2023 413479489
2024 415476490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Wolverhampton

53.1% of cars in Wolverhampton run on petrol and 34.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.3% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.6%, and cars that plug in 4.3%.

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 Wolverhampton, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 75.8%23.8%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 74.0%25.6%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2012 72.1%27.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 70.3%29.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 68.3%31.1%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.3%33.1%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 64.2%35.1%0.5%0.1%0.0%
2017 61.5%37.7%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2018 59.8%39.2%0.7%0.1%0.1%
2019 58.7%40.0%0.9%0.1%0.1%
2020 57.5%40.9%1.1%0.1%0.2%
2021 56.4%41.3%1.6%0.2%0.3%
2022 55.6%40.9%2.3%0.5%0.5%
2023 55.0%40.2%3.1%0.7%0.6%
2024 54.6%38.7%4.4%1.2%0.8%
2025 54.0%36.7%5.9%1.9%1.1%
2026 53.1%34.7%7.6%2.7%1.6%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Wolverhampton

3,217 battery electric cars were licensed in Wolverhampton at the end of March 2026, 2.7% of all cars, 69th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,094 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,192.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.9% are battery electric (2,087 cars), 4th lowest of 30 councils in the West Midlands. Companies keep 35.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.9% of its cars overall. There are also 192 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, Wolverhampton compared, end of March each year
Year WolverhamptonWest MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.1%0.4%0.3%
2021 0.2%0.6%0.7%
2022 0.5%1.1%1.3%
2023 0.7%1.3%2.1%
2024 1.2%1.7%3.0%
2025 1.9%2.5%4.1%
2026 2.7%3.4%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Wolverhampton

There were 193 public chargers in Wolverhampton on 1 July 2026, 91 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 69 for every 100,000 residents, 35th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 31.3% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 20.0 privately kept plug-in cars in Wolverhampton (UK 11.9), 114th 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 Wolverhampton by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 14748
Apr 2026 18375
Jul 2026 19391

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Wolverhampton compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Wolverhampton 6932
West Midlands (county) 19437
West Midlands 16446
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Wolverhampton has 33 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.6% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.0%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Wolverhampton with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Wolverhampton 019 3,835 115 3.0% 5.0%
Wolverhampton 014 4,376 114 2.6% 4.7%
Wolverhampton 006 4,003 100 2.5% 4.3%
Wolverhampton 009 4,357 108 2.5% 3.9%
Wolverhampton 031 3,705 92 2.5% 3.7%
Wolverhampton 021 5,143 126 2.4% 4.2%
Wolverhampton 030 4,226 97 2.3% 3.9%
Wolverhampton 026 4,106 91 2.2% 3.7%
Wolverhampton 029 5,227 114 2.2% 3.9%
Wolverhampton 010 4,135 84 2.0% 3.4%
Lowest electric shares
Wolverhampton 007 2,381 13 0.5% 1.7%
Wolverhampton 015 4,092 26 0.6% 1.8%
Wolverhampton 011 2,432 14 0.6% 2.0%
Wolverhampton 035 5,532 38 0.7% 2.2%
Wolverhampton 018 3,916 30 0.8% 1.5%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 4 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Wolverhampton

Vehicles travelled an estimated 724 million miles on roads in Wolverhampton in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Wolverhampton
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 695
1994 704
1995 714
1996 721
1997 719
1998 731
1999 749
2000 731
2001 726
2002 742
2003 746
2004 741
2005 737
2006 729
2007 734
2008 719
2009 706
2010 693
2011 696
2012 695
2013 693
2014 711
2015 717
2016 730
2017 732
2018 743
2019 747
2020 606
2021 661
2022 692
2023 707
2024 722
2025 724

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Wolverhampton, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 47385
2022 44779
2023 45578
2024 35870
2025 37775

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Wolverhampton

Unleaded petrol averages 171.4p a litre across 28 filling stations in Wolverhampton, 0.3p below the UK average. Diesel averages 194.2p, 0.4p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Blakenhall Service Station Wolverhampton 163.6p
  2. Asda Wolverhampton Superstore Wolverhampton 165.9p
  3. Esso Cannock Road Service Station Wolverhampton 165.9p

Every filling station and price in Wolverhampton

How Wolverhampton compares

Wolverhampton compared with the West Midlands metropolitan county, the West Midlands, England, the UK
Wolverhampton 400 2.7% 1.9% 5.9% 69 20.0
West Midlands (county) 391 3.1% 2.0% 7.4% 194 7.0
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 metropolitan county

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

Councils in the West Midlands metropolitan county
Solihull 495 7.2% 3.1% 13.1% 278 9.4
Dudley 470 3.0% 2.3% 5.0% 104 15.9
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 140,609 licensed vehicles in Wolverhampton 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 5,319 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 Wolverhampton 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.