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Derby motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
144,614 licensed vehicles in Derby
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 122,816 +1.8% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 407 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 5,604 4.6% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.5% 140th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 329 120 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 9.2% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Derby?

There were 122,816 licensed cars in Derby at the end of March 2026, and 144,614 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 8.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 407 for every 1,000 residents, 80th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Derby

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Derby at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 136,953112,834
2011 135,973111,266
2012 130,513109,596
2013 130,788109,770
2014 128,017108,935
2015 129,521110,473
2016 133,130113,702
2017 137,364117,635
2018 138,990118,943
2019 141,292120,460
2020 142,422120,941
2021 138,572116,683
2022 138,926116,380
2023 139,057116,361
2024 140,896118,088
2025 144,001120,669
2026 144,614122,816

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, Derby compared
Year DerbyEast MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2011 446482–
2012 434480–
2013 437485–
2014 430490–
2015 432493473
2016 439496480
2017 452503488
2018 453504490
2019 459509493
2020 454501489
2021 450508493
2022 441505489
2023 433505489
2024 434506490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Derby

50.9% of cars in Derby run on petrol and 32.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.4% in 2018. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.5%, and cars that plug in 7.6%.

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 Derby, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 69.9%29.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2011 68.1%31.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2012 66.8%32.6%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2013 64.4%34.9%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2014 63.7%35.6%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2015 61.3%37.9%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2016 59.1%39.9%0.7%0.1%0.2%
2017 57.8%40.9%0.8%0.1%0.3%
2018 56.7%41.4%1.1%0.1%0.6%
2019 56.6%40.9%1.4%0.1%0.8%
2020 56.1%40.6%2.0%0.3%1.0%
2021 55.4%40.3%2.5%0.6%1.1%
2022 54.7%39.6%3.1%1.0%1.4%
2023 54.0%38.8%3.8%1.5%1.6%
2024 53.3%37.3%4.8%2.3%2.1%
2025 52.3%35.1%6.5%3.4%2.5%
2026 50.9%32.7%8.5%4.6%3.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Derby

5,604 battery electric cars were licensed in Derby at the end of March 2026, 4.6% of all cars, 56th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 9,323 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 4,119.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.5% are battery electric (2,733 cars), 8th lowest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 51.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 9.2% of its cars overall. There are also 294 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, Derby compared, end of March each year
Year DerbyEast 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%0.1%0.2%
2020 0.3%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.6%0.4%0.7%
2022 1.0%0.8%1.3%
2023 1.5%1.3%2.1%
2024 2.3%1.9%3.0%
2025 3.4%2.7%4.1%
2026 4.6%3.9%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Derby

There were 329 public chargers in Derby on 1 July 2026, 157 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 120 for every 100,000 residents, 136th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 1.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 13.9 privately kept plug-in cars in Derby (UK 11.9), 153rd 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 Derby by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 324148
Apr 2026 322150
Jul 2026 329157

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Derby compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Derby 12057
East Midlands 12247
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Derby has 31 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.8% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Derby with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Derby 001 3,888 174 4.5% 6.6%
Derby 021 5,176 202 3.9% 7.1%
Derby 015 5,704 211 3.7% 5.8%
Derby 005 3,591 123 3.4% 5.7%
Derby 031 4,302 148 3.4% 5.2%
Derby 002 4,420 147 3.3% 5.0%
Derby 003 6,486 210 3.2% 5.2%
Derby 019 4,347 137 3.2% 4.9%
Derby 017 3,979 124 3.1% 5.1%
Derby 030 4,750 129 2.7% 4.2%
Lowest electric shares
Derby 016 3,232 6 0.2% 1.1%
Derby 018 3,607 19 0.5% 1.4%
Derby 023 3,205 18 0.6% 2.0%
Derby 020 2,917 18 0.6% 1.3%
Derby 026 4,729 34 0.7% 2.2%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 2 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Derby

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,225 million miles on roads in Derby in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Derby
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 956
1994 966
1995 977
1996 986
1997 986
1998 988
1999 1,000
2000 985
2001 995
2002 1,024
2003 1,031
2004 1,042
2005 1,038
2006 1,035
2007 1,049
2008 1,078
2009 1,070
2010 1,046
2011 1,057
2012 1,058
2013 1,044
2014 1,076
2015 1,088
2016 1,095
2017 1,122
2018 1,116
2019 1,143
2020 984
2021 1,048
2022 1,180
2023 1,196
2024 1,214
2025 1,225

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Derby, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 51190
2022 51297
2023 494116
2024 419118
2025 484114

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Derby

Unleaded petrol averages 170.7p a litre across 22 filling stations in Derby, 1.0p below the UK average. Diesel averages 193.3p, 1.3p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Costco Wholesale Derby Derby 162.9p
  2. Asda Derby Supercentre Spondon 167.7p
  3. Chaddesden Esso Express Derby 167.9p

Every filling station and price in Derby

How Derby compares

Derby compared with the East Midlands, England, the UK
Derby 407 4.6% 2.5% 9.2% 120 13.9
East Midlands 479 3.9% 2.9% 5.9% 122 18.1
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 East Midlands

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

Councils in the East Midlands
Rushcliffe 507 5.6% 4.9% 3.5% 142 31.5
Harborough 555 4.8% 3.8% 18.6% 126 29.8
North Northamptonshire 516 4.8% 3.0% 7.7% 126 17.9
Chesterfield 476 4.7% 2.7% 11.6% 258 9.0
Derby 407 4.6% 2.5% 9.2% 120 13.9
Ashfield 470 4.5% 2.8% 7.9% 103 21.3
North West Leicestershire 542 4.4% 3.6% 4.3% 148 20.8
Blaby 519 4.3% 3.1% 5.6% 192 12.4
Newark and Sherwood 519 4.3% 3.6% 4.7% 120 13.5
South Derbyshire 537 4.3% 3.8% 3.5% 114 28.5
Gedling 477 4.0% 3.3% 5.0% 99 24.3
Bassetlaw 514 3.9% 3.1% 4.4% 146 19.0
Hinckley and Bosworth 548 3.9% 3.2% 3.7% 85 25.1
North Kesteven 548 3.9% 3.2% 4.6% 100 35.0
Amber Valley 529 3.8% 3.1% 5.0% 75 36.1
Bolsover 506 3.8% 2.9% 5.8% 156 13.8
Charnwood 475 3.8% 3.1% 4.6% 79 27.0
Rutland 542 3.8% 3.3% 3.9% 188 19.5
West Northamptonshire 512 3.8% 3.1% 4.5% 144 17.8
Broxtowe 467 3.7% 3.1% 3.8% 141 17.6
Melton 571 3.7% 3.1% 3.5% 63 49.9
West Lindsey 547 3.7% 3.2% 4.3% 70 38.3
Derbyshire Dales 584 3.6% 3.1% 3.6% 180 16.1
North East Derbyshire 532 3.6% 3.0% 4.2% 38 63.7
South Kesteven 541 3.6% 3.0% 4.4% 112 18.6
High Peak 511 3.4% 2.9% 3.8% 108 20.5
Mansfield 471 3.4% 2.5% 5.6% 85 23.1
Oadby and Wigston 461 3.4% 2.7% 9.1% 131 15.9
Erewash 488 3.3% 2.7% 4.8% 66 37.9
Nottingham 296 3.1% 2.1% 7.4% 154 6.6
South Holland 561 3.0% 2.4% 4.2% 79 28.7
Lincoln 362 2.9% 2.0% 6.8% 176 6.1
East Lindsey 527 2.7% 2.1% 5.6% 143 13.4
Boston 502 2.5% 1.9% 5.5% 124 12.8
Leicester 325 2.4% 1.5% 5.9% 88 10.5

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 144,614 licensed vehicles in Derby 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 9,670 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 Derby 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.