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East of England · Unitary authority

Luton motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
107,369 licensed vehicles in Luton
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 95,240 +2.0% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 378 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 2,733 2.9% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.3% 71st lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 155 65 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 5.2% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Luton?

There were 95,240 licensed cars in Luton at the end of June 2026, and 107,369 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 25.8% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 378 for every 1,000 residents, 53rd lowest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Luton

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Luton at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 86,84475,724
2011 86,36375,356
2012 85,80975,023
2013 86,61075,747
2014 88,49177,480
2015 90,30379,213
2016 93,12881,782
2017 94,49083,236
2018 94,77083,588
2019 96,22085,050
2020 95,70484,803
2021 98,26186,786
2022 99,04187,390
2023 101,68689,767
2024 103,90791,805
2025 105,49793,417
2026 107,36995,240

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.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, Luton compared
Year LutonEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2011 370503–
2012 364502–
2013 361505–
2014 363524–
2015 364529473
2016 370537480
2017 377544488
2018 377542490
2019 381541493
2020 378536489
2021 386539493
2022 384532489
2023 384529489
2024 384531490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Luton

52.2% of cars in Luton run on petrol and 31.4% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 39.0% in 2021. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.7%, and cars that plug in 5.3%.

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.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in Luton, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 78.3%21.3%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 76.1%23.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 74.0%25.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 71.8%27.4%0.5%0.0%0.0%
2014 69.6%29.3%0.9%0.0%0.0%
2015 66.8%31.8%1.1%0.0%0.0%
2016 64.1%34.0%1.6%0.0%0.1%
2017 61.8%35.9%2.0%0.1%0.1%
2018 59.8%37.4%2.4%0.1%0.1%
2019 58.4%38.1%2.9%0.1%0.2%
2020 57.1%38.8%3.5%0.1%0.3%
2021 56.0%39.0%4.1%0.2%0.4%
2022 55.1%38.6%5.0%0.5%0.6%
2023 54.5%37.4%6.1%0.8%0.8%
2024 54.3%35.4%7.6%1.2%1.3%
2025 53.6%33.2%9.0%2.0%1.8%
2026 52.2%31.4%10.7%2.9%2.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Luton

2,733 battery electric cars were licensed in Luton at the end of June 2026, 2.9% of all cars, 63rd lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,068 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,883.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.3% are battery electric (2,118 cars), 7th lowest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 22.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 5.2% of its cars overall. There are also 95 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, Luton compared, end of March each year
Year LutonEast of EnglandUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.1%0.2%0.2%
2020 0.1%0.4%0.4%
2021 0.2%0.8%0.8%
2022 0.5%1.2%1.5%
2023 0.8%1.9%2.3%
2024 1.2%2.9%3.2%
2025 2.0%4.1%4.4%
2026 2.9%5.6%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Luton

There were 155 public chargers in Luton on 1 July 2026, 63 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 65 for every 100,000 residents, 26th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 4.0% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 26.8 privately kept plug-in cars in Luton (UK 12.9), 65th most 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 Luton by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 14961
Apr 2026 14961
Jul 2026 15563

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Luton compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Luton 6526
East of England 15049
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Luton has 22 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.1% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Luton with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Luton 007 5,297 185 3.5% 6.4%
Luton 016 5,855 169 2.9% 4.8%
Luton 001 5,012 138 2.8% 5.1%
Luton 004 3,522 94 2.7% 5.0%
Luton 014 5,546 146 2.6% 4.5%
Luton 006 5,857 144 2.5% 4.7%
Luton 012 5,369 136 2.5% 4.5%
Luton 002 3,611 86 2.4% 4.3%
Luton 005 4,946 110 2.2% 4.2%
Luton 011 5,154 113 2.2% 4.7%
Lowest electric shares
Luton 022 3,121 20 0.6% 3.0%
Luton 019 3,124 22 0.7% 2.9%
Luton 017 3,371 33 1.0% 3.9%
Luton 021 4,642 60 1.3% 3.0%
Luton 003 3,618 49 1.4% 3.3%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026. 1 neighbourhood is left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Luton

Vehicles travelled an estimated 517 million miles on roads in Luton in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Luton
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 440
1994 446
1995 453
1996 461
1997 468
1998 480
1999 487
2000 476
2001 479
2002 500
2003 500
2004 488
2005 477
2006 461
2007 496
2008 484
2009 482
2010 468
2011 477
2012 462
2013 472
2014 486
2015 499
2016 498
2017 511
2018 517
2019 513
2020 401
2021 443
2022 493
2023 507
2024 509
2025 517

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Luton, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 34664
2022 42974
2023 38566
2024 37564
2025 35463

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Luton

Unleaded petrol averages 173.5p a litre across 11 filling stations in Luton, 2.0p above the UK average. Diesel averages 198.7p, the same as the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Asda Luton Superstore Luton 169.9p
  2. Sainsbury's Bramingham Park Luton 170.9p
  3. Jet MFG Leagrave Luton 171.9p

Every filling station and price in Luton

How Luton compares

Luton compared with the East of England, England, the UK
Luton 378 2.9% 2.3% 5.2% 65 26.8
East of England 501 5.6% 3.2% 8.7% 150 17.3
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

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 June 2026.

Driving test centres in Luton

There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in Luton, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 39.2% at Luton.

Other centres in the East of England:

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 the East of England

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

Councils in the East of England
Peterborough 430 29.7% 2.7% 60.3% 129 14.9
South Cambridgeshire 547 5.9% 5.4% 3.5% 205 21.3
St Albans 503 5.8% 5.0% 3.7% 111 36.8
Hertsmere 469 5.7% 4.4% 6.5% 229 15.2
Three Rivers 513 5.1% 4.2% 4.2% 161 23.4
Cambridge 270 5.0% 4.4% 3.8% 313 5.8
Huntingdonshire 549 5.0% 3.8% 8.3% 175 18.6
Uttlesford 593 4.8% 4.2% 12.0% 164 24.4
Central Bedfordshire 542 4.7% 4.1% 4.5% 168 20.0
North Hertfordshire 515 4.7% 4.0% 4.3% 117 27.7
Bedford 486 4.5% 3.6% 6.4% 149 18.0
East Hertfordshire 529 4.4% 3.7% 3.8% 135 24.6
Epping Forest 499 4.4% 3.6% 5.3% 126 25.2
Welwyn Hatfield 458 4.4% 3.6% 5.5% 350 7.8
East Cambridgeshire 567 4.3% 3.9% 3.7% 90 36.5
Brentwood 501 4.2% 3.2% 4.9% 97 33.0
Dacorum 508 4.2% 3.5% 4.1% 159 19.0
Chelmsford 504 4.0% 3.3% 4.8% 105 27.0
South Norfolk 574 4.0% 3.5% 4.1% 131 22.3
Watford 398 4.0% 3.0% 5.4% 563 4.0
Basildon 461 3.9% 2.5% 11.9% 62 34.8
Mid Suffolk 612 3.9% 3.2% 4.6% 135 21.9
Broadland 576 3.8% 3.2% 3.9% 116 23.8
Colchester 474 3.6% 2.9% 4.6% 90 24.5
Maldon 605 3.5% 2.9% 3.6% 61 49.5
Breckland 558 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 114 20.2
Broxbourne 486 3.4% 2.8% 4.7% 153 15.8
East Suffolk 551 3.4% 2.7% 4.3% 143 16.6
Babergh 590 3.3% 2.9% 3.2% 164 16.8
Rochford 554 3.3% 2.9% 4.0% 76 36.3
Thurrock 458 3.3% 2.6% 5.2% 115 20.6
Braintree 537 3.2% 2.7% 4.1% 89 27.3
Harlow 444 3.2% 2.5% 4.6% 74 25.7
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 540 3.2% 2.6% 4.1% 172 13.1
Stevenage 450 3.1% 2.6% 4.3% 194 9.8
West Suffolk 547 3.1% 2.7% 4.6% 236 9.5
Norwich 351 3.0% 1.9% 5.7% 196 5.2
Fenland 539 2.9% 2.4% 4.3% 53 38.6
Luton 378 2.9% 2.3% 5.2% 65 26.8
North Norfolk 575 2.8% 2.4% 3.5% 225 9.7
Tendring 513 2.8% 2.2% 4.8% 84 21.7
Castle Point 534 2.7% 2.2% 3.8% 42 51.7
Ipswich 446 2.7% 1.9% 4.9% 294 4.8
Southend-on-Sea 430 2.7% 2.2% 3.9% 51 31.6
Great Yarmouth 472 2.4% 1.9% 4.7% 211 6.7

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 107,369 licensed vehicles in Luton 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 5,250 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 Luton 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.