UK vehicle statistics / Optare

How many Optare Solo trucks are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 669 licensed and 648 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Optare Solo generic-model group.

Looking at a Solo?

Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.

Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

Wondering whether one particular Solo is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the Solo disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 1,729 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 669 in 2026 Q1, down 61%. That is down 42% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 648 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,317 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 1,317 Solo vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (648 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 61% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 1,729. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Solo — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

QuarterLicensedSORN
2026 Q1669648
2025 Q4677647
2025 Q3700633
2025 Q2714643
2025 Q1731650
2024 Q4755717
2024 Q3781778
2024 Q2808804
2024 Q1829792
2023 Q4836789
2023 Q3860759
2023 Q2893759
2023 Q1930736
2022 Q4963717
2022 Q3998685
2022 Q21,012660
2022 Q11,030652
2021 Q41,059642
2021 Q31,085639
2021 Q21,138606
2021 Q11,144609
2020 Q41,155608
2020 Q31,170610
2020 Q21,044712
2020 Q11,026763
2019 Q41,275520
2019 Q31,315500
2019 Q21,355485
2019 Q11,403459
2018 Q41,425433
2018 Q31,438433
2018 Q21,461417
2018 Q11,481404
2017 Q41,535357
2017 Q31,571351
2017 Q21,592351
2017 Q11,623328
2016 Q41,633327
2016 Q31,628297
2016 Q21,664263
2016 Q11,696252
2015 Q41,696225
2015 Q31,714192
2015 Q21,719186
2015 Q11,691179
2014 Q41,725163
2014 Q31,729125

Other Optare models

See how many of every Optare model are left

Common questions

How many Optare Solo trucks are left in the UK?

669 were licensed and 648 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Optare Solo trucks are SORN?

648 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,317 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Solo disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 1,729 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 669 in 2026 Q1, down 61%. That is down 42% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 648 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,317 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one Solo is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.