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Leicester motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
151,333 licensed vehicles in Leicester
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 134,009 −17.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 325 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 3,225 2.4% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 1.5% 16th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 342 88 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.9% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Leicester?

There were 134,009 licensed cars in Leicester at the end of March 2026, and 151,333 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 6.1% fewer cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 325 for every 1,000 residents, 34th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Leicester

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Leicester at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 165,827142,750
2011 162,189139,535
2012 157,874135,202
2013 160,709137,640
2014 166,131143,026
2015 177,390152,390
2016 179,643157,406
2017 179,397157,595
2018 175,082153,847
2019 179,632158,136
2020 181,668158,463
2021 172,519147,040
2022 180,280153,231
2023 184,932158,742
2024 187,772162,295
2025 188,143161,383
2026 151,333134,009

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, Leicester compared
Year LeicesterEast MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2011 447482–
2012 433480–
2013 438485–
2014 449490–
2015 467493473
2016 450496480
2017 472503488
2018 450504490
2019 457509493
2020 413501489
2021 419508493
2022 417505489
2023 421505489
2024 425506490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Leicester

51.2% of cars in Leicester run on petrol and 34.7% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.2% in 2015. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 9.7%, and cars that plug in 4.2%.

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 Leicester, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 72.2%27.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 71.0%28.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 68.0%31.5%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 64.5%34.8%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 62.5%36.8%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 61.1%38.2%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2016 61.7%37.2%0.7%0.1%0.0%
2017 60.5%38.0%1.2%0.1%0.1%
2018 60.8%36.8%2.0%0.1%0.1%
2019 59.6%36.7%3.3%0.1%0.2%
2020 59.7%35.7%4.1%0.1%0.2%
2021 57.7%36.6%4.7%0.3%0.5%
2022 57.6%36.3%4.7%0.4%0.9%
2023 58.0%34.8%5.1%1.0%0.8%
2024 55.0%32.2%7.5%1.8%3.1%
2025 50.7%30.6%12.0%2.4%3.8%
2026 51.2%34.7%9.7%2.4%1.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Leicester

3,225 battery electric cars were licensed in Leicester at the end of March 2026, 2.4% of all cars, 31st lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,604 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 3,926, 701 more. DfT notes that big changes like this often happen when a leasing or rental company changes its registered address.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 1.5% are battery electric (1,896 cars), the lowest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 41.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.9% of its cars overall. There are also 145 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, Leicester compared, end of March each year
Year LeicesterEast 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 0.1%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.3%0.4%0.7%
2022 0.4%0.8%1.3%
2023 1.0%1.3%2.1%
2024 1.8%1.9%3.0%
2025 2.4%2.7%4.1%
2026 2.4%3.9%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Leicester

There were 342 public chargers in Leicester on 1 July 2026, 101 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 88 for every 100,000 residents, 69th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 1.2% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 10.5 privately kept plug-in cars in Leicester (UK 11.9), 94th 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 Leicester by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 338110
Apr 2026 356112
Jul 2026 342101

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Leicester compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Leicester 8826
East Midlands 12247
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Leicester has 38 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.3% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.9%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Leicester with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Leicester 032 3,784 147 3.9% 6.5%
Leicester 042 2,995 79 2.6% 4.3%
Leicester 043 3,925 102 2.6% 4.8%
Leicester 034 4,286 103 2.4% 3.8%
Leicester 020 3,829 88 2.3% 3.9%
Leicester 002 4,271 94 2.2% 3.8%
Leicester 025 4,354 96 2.2% 4.3%
Leicester 030 4,136 82 2.0% 3.4%
Leicester 038 3,765 74 2.0% 3.5%
Leicester 001 3,359 63 1.9% 3.8%
Lowest electric shares
Leicester 018 3,080 0 0.0% 0.8%
Leicester 017 3,811 0 0.0% 1.2%
Leicester 016 2,729 0 0.0% 1.1%
Leicester 007 2,769 8 0.3% 1.9%
Leicester 010 2,813 12 0.4% 2.2%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 9 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Leicester

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,036 million miles on roads in Leicester in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Leicester
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 784
1994 797
1995 809
1996 818
1997 809
1998 817
1999 832
2000 854
2001 859
2002 874
2003 887
2004 894
2005 879
2006 898
2007 907
2008 902
2009 897
2010 878
2011 888
2012 889
2013 886
2014 912
2015 915
2016 928
2017 940
2018 932
2019 958
2020 824
2021 876
2022 992
2023 1,012
2024 1,023
2025 1,036

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Leicester, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 422106
2022 413107
2023 495122
2024 448107
2025 463125

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Leicester

Unleaded petrol averages 172.7p a litre across 25 filling stations in Leicester, 1.0p above the UK average. Diesel averages 194.0p, 0.6p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Asda Leicester Abbey Lane Superstore Leicester 168.7p
  2. Tesco Leicester Extra Leicester 168.9p
  3. Tesco Leicester Hamilton Extra Leicester 168.9p

Every filling station and price in Leicester

How Leicester compares

Leicester compared with the East Midlands, England, the UK
Leicester 325 2.4% 1.5% 5.9% 88 10.5
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 151,333 licensed vehicles in Leicester 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 5,822 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 Leicester 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.