East Midlands · District council
Boston motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Boston, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Boston compares with the East Midlands. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 38,117 +1.3% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 508 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 1,069 2.8% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 2.1% 45th lowest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 88 124 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 5.4% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in Boston?
There were 38,117 licensed cars in Boston at the end of June 2026, and 49,005 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.9% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 508 for every 1,000 residents, 148th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in Boston
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 39,925 | 31,019 |
| 2011 | 40,224 | 31,300 |
| 2012 | 40,332 | 31,478 |
| 2013 | 40,812 | 31,862 |
| 2014 | 41,495 | 32,388 |
| 2015 | 41,732 | 32,664 |
| 2016 | 42,597 | 33,217 |
| 2017 | 43,784 | 34,181 |
| 2018 | 44,685 | 34,929 |
| 2019 | 45,654 | 35,858 |
| 2020 | 45,097 | 35,489 |
| 2021 | 46,052 | 35,885 |
| 2022 | 46,172 | 35,859 |
| 2023 | 46,886 | 36,366 |
| 2024 | 47,724 | 37,092 |
| 2025 | 48,418 | 37,613 |
| 2026 | 49,005 | 38,117 |
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.
| Year | Boston | East Midlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 484 | 482 | – |
| 2012 | 482 | 480 | – |
| 2013 | 478 | 485 | – |
| 2014 | 482 | 490 | – |
| 2015 | 483 | 493 | 473 |
| 2016 | 484 | 496 | 480 |
| 2017 | 491 | 503 | 488 |
| 2018 | 498 | 504 | 490 |
| 2019 | 511 | 509 | 493 |
| 2020 | 506 | 501 | 489 |
| 2021 | 507 | 508 | 493 |
| 2022 | 507 | 505 | 489 |
| 2023 | 511 | 505 | 489 |
| 2024 | 522 | 506 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Boston
45.5% of cars in Boston run on petrol and 43.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 46.8% in 2022. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.7%, and cars that plug in 4.3%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.2% | 30.5% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 67.2% | 32.5% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 65.1% | 34.4% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 63.2% | 36.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 38.4% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 59.1% | 40.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 56.8% | 42.5% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.4% | 43.7% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 54.1% | 44.9% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 53.4% | 45.4% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 52.2% | 46.3% | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | 50.8% | 46.6% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 49.4% | 46.8% | 2.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| 2023 | 48.6% | 46.5% | 3.2% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| 2024 | 47.7% | 45.8% | 4.2% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| 2025 | 46.7% | 44.6% | 5.3% | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| 2026 | 45.5% | 43.1% | 6.7% | 2.8% | 1.5% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Boston
1,069 battery electric cars were licensed in Boston at the end of June 2026, 2.8% of all cars, 53rd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 1,650 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 711.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.1% are battery electric (771 cars), 2nd lowest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 27.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.4% of its cars overall. There are also 86 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.
| Year | Boston | East Midlands | United 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% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.5% | 0.9% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 0.7% | 1.4% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 1.9% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 2.8% | 4.3% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Boston
There were 88 public chargers in Boston on 1 July 2026, 54 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 124 for every 100,000 residents, 145th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 7.3% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 13.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Boston (UK 12.9), 136th fewest of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.
Public chargers
| Date | All public chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 82 | 43 |
| Apr 2026 | 83 | 48 |
| Jul 2026 | 88 | 54 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | 124 | 76 |
| Lincolnshire | 116 | 42 |
| East Midlands | 122 | 47 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Boston has 8 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.9% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 2.8%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston 006 | 5,403 | 149 | 2.8% |
| Boston 008 | 5,872 | 133 | 2.3% |
| Boston 009 | 5,544 | 118 | 2.1% |
| Boston 001 | 5,578 | 107 | 1.9% |
| Boston 007 | 7,357 | 136 | 1.8% |
| Boston 004 | 4,753 | 59 | 1.2% |
| Boston 003 | 3,851 | 21 | 0.5% |
| Boston 002 | 4,517 | 20 | 0.4% |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Boston
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 158 | 46 |
| 2022 | 165 | 54 |
| 2023 | 218 | 45 |
| 2024 | 190 | 51 |
| 2025 | 178 | 53 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Boston
Unleaded petrol averages 173.0p a litre across 9 filling stations in Boston, 1.5p above the UK average. Diesel averages 198.9p, 0.2p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Esso MFG Bicker Bar Bicker Boston 169.9p
- BP MFG Sutterton A16/A17 Sutterton Boston 169.9p
- Shell Boston 169.9p
How Boston compares
| Boston | 508 | 2.8% | 124 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 522 | 3.6% | 116 |
| East Midlands | 483 | 4.3% | 122 |
| England | 440 | 6.2% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 444 | 5.8% | 175 |
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 Boston
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Boston, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 50.7% at Boston.
Other centres in Lincolnshire:
- Grantham (Somerby) 57.9% pass rate, 2025/26
- Skegness 55.9% pass rate, 2025/26
- Louth 53.9% pass rate, 2025/26
- Lincoln 52.1% pass rate, 2025/26
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 Lincolnshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| North Kesteven | 552 | 4.4% | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lindsey | 552 | 4.1% | 70 |
| South Kesteven | 545 | 4.0% | 112 |
| South Holland | 567 | 3.3% | 79 |
| Lincoln | 363 | 3.1% | 176 |
| East Lindsey | 533 | 3.0% | 143 |
| Boston | 508 | 2.8% | 124 |
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 49,005 licensed vehicles in Boston | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 1,749 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 Boston 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.