East of England · District council
Dacorum motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in Dacorum, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Dacorum compares with the East of England. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 84,856 +0.4% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 505 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 3,330 3.9% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.2% 105th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 257 159 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.0% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in Dacorum?
There were 84,856 licensed cars in Dacorum at the end of March 2026, and 102,634 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 15.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 505 for every 1,000 residents, 144th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in Dacorum
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85,392 | 73,552 |
| 2011 | 86,613 | 74,617 |
| 2012 | 87,955 | 75,363 |
| 2013 | 88,855 | 76,354 |
| 2014 | 90,440 | 77,633 |
| 2015 | 91,679 | 78,917 |
| 2016 | 93,778 | 80,344 |
| 2017 | 94,994 | 81,255 |
| 2018 | 96,426 | 81,823 |
| 2019 | 97,936 | 82,642 |
| 2020 | 98,408 | 83,266 |
| 2021 | 97,926 | 82,324 |
| 2022 | 99,642 | 83,025 |
| 2023 | 100,807 | 83,615 |
| 2024 | 101,599 | 84,440 |
| 2025 | 102,120 | 84,503 |
| 2026 | 102,634 | 84,856 |
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.
| Year | Dacorum | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 516 | 503 | – |
| 2012 | 516 | 502 | – |
| 2013 | 521 | 505 | – |
| 2014 | 526 | 524 | – |
| 2015 | 526 | 529 | 473 |
| 2016 | 528 | 537 | 480 |
| 2017 | 533 | 544 | 488 |
| 2018 | 534 | 542 | 490 |
| 2019 | 538 | 541 | 493 |
| 2020 | 531 | 536 | 489 |
| 2021 | 535 | 539 | 493 |
| 2022 | 533 | 532 | 489 |
| 2023 | 529 | 529 | 489 |
| 2024 | 525 | 531 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Dacorum
61.8% of cars in Dacorum run on petrol and 22.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 33.4% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.6%, and cars that plug in 6.3%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77.5% | 22.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 75.5% | 24.0% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 73.7% | 25.6% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 72.0% | 27.3% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 70.0% | 29.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 68.3% | 30.7% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 66.8% | 32.1% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 65.6% | 33.1% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 64.9% | 33.4% | 1.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2019 | 64.9% | 33.1% | 1.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 2020 | 64.8% | 32.6% | 1.6% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| 2021 | 64.5% | 32.1% | 2.0% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| 2022 | 63.8% | 30.9% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| 2023 | 63.5% | 29.2% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 63.6% | 26.9% | 5.1% | 2.5% | 1.6% |
| 2025 | 63.0% | 24.9% | 6.8% | 3.0% | 2.0% |
| 2026 | 61.8% | 22.9% | 8.6% | 3.9% | 2.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in Dacorum
3,330 battery electric cars were licensed in Dacorum at the end of March 2026, 3.9% of all cars, 126th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,385 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,506.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.2% are battery electric (2,637 cars), 14th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 20.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.0% of its cars overall. There are also 85 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 | Dacorum | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | 2.6% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | 3.8% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 3.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in Dacorum
There were 257 public chargers in Dacorum on 1 July 2026, 89 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 159 for every 100,000 residents, 144th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 12.2% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 17.1 privately kept plug-in cars in Dacorum (UK 11.9), 159th most 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 | 229 | 87 |
| Apr 2026 | 262 | 89 |
| Jul 2026 | 257 | 89 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| Dacorum | 159 | 55 |
| Hertfordshire | 208 | 57 |
| East of England | 150 | 49 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
Dacorum has 22 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dacorum 006 | 4,111 | 186 | 4.5% | |
| Dacorum 004 | 3,677 | 159 | 4.3% | |
| Dacorum 014 | 3,127 | 133 | 4.3% | |
| Dacorum 009 | 3,717 | 156 | 4.2% | |
| Dacorum 012 | 3,749 | 153 | 4.1% | |
| Dacorum 021 | 6,472 | 258 | 4.0% | |
| Dacorum 002 | 4,286 | 164 | 3.8% | |
| Dacorum 022 | 3,428 | 113 | 3.3% | |
| Dacorum 017 | 4,479 | 141 | 3.1% | |
| Dacorum 018 | 6,497 | 196 | 3.0% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| Dacorum 008 | 3,707 | 44 | 1.2% | |
| Dacorum 007 | 4,123 | 55 | 1.3% | |
| Dacorum 010 | 3,141 | 56 | 1.8% | |
| Dacorum 015 | 6,076 | 120 | 2.0% | |
| Dacorum 011 | 3,674 | 76 | 2.1% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in Dacorum
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 171 | 41 |
| 2022 | 187 | 36 |
| 2023 | 193 | 49 |
| 2024 | 160 | 32 |
| 2025 | 161 | 44 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in Dacorum
Unleaded petrol averages 170.1p a litre across 17 filling stations in Dacorum, 1.6p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.1p, 1.5p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Asda Hemel Hempstead Express Petrol Hemel Hempstead 163.9p
- EG Flamstead St. Albans 164.9p
- Esso Asda Dacorum Express Petrol Hemel Hempstead 165.9p
How Dacorum compares
| Dacorum | 505 | 3.9% | 159 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertfordshire | 485 | 4.3% | 208 |
| East of England | 497 | 5.2% | 150 |
| England | 437 | 5.8% | 173 |
| United Kingdom | 441 | 5.4% | 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 March 2026.
Councils in Hertfordshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Hertsmere | 467 | 5.4% | 229 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans | 500 | 5.4% | 111 |
| Three Rivers | 511 | 4.8% | 161 |
| North Hertfordshire | 512 | 4.4% | 117 |
| East Hertfordshire | 526 | 4.1% | 135 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 455 | 4.1% | 350 |
| Dacorum | 505 | 3.9% | 159 |
| Watford | 397 | 3.9% | 563 |
| Broxbourne | 484 | 3.1% | 153 |
| Stevenage | 449 | 2.8% | 194 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 102,634 licensed vehicles in Dacorum | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 5,571 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 Dacorum 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.