East of England · District council
North Hertfordshire motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in North Hertfordshire, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how North Hertfordshire compares with the East of England. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 73,807 +0.5% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 515 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 3,472 4.7% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 4.0% 53rd highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 161 117 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.3% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in North Hertfordshire?
There were 73,807 licensed cars in North Hertfordshire at the end of June 2026, and 87,570 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 12.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 515 for every 1,000 residents, 130th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in North Hertfordshire
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76,728 | 65,681 |
| 2011 | 77,351 | 66,321 |
| 2012 | 78,175 | 66,919 |
| 2013 | 79,270 | 67,779 |
| 2014 | 80,821 | 69,051 |
| 2015 | 81,348 | 69,483 |
| 2016 | 82,475 | 70,367 |
| 2017 | 83,877 | 71,386 |
| 2018 | 84,516 | 71,785 |
| 2019 | 85,330 | 72,392 |
| 2020 | 84,174 | 71,608 |
| 2021 | 85,571 | 72,211 |
| 2022 | 85,220 | 71,667 |
| 2023 | 85,132 | 71,939 |
| 2024 | 86,052 | 72,673 |
| 2025 | 86,973 | 73,447 |
| 2026 | 87,570 | 73,807 |
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 | North Hertfordshire | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 520 | 503 | – |
| 2012 | 521 | 502 | – |
| 2013 | 524 | 505 | – |
| 2014 | 527 | 524 | – |
| 2015 | 528 | 529 | 473 |
| 2016 | 529 | 537 | 480 |
| 2017 | 534 | 544 | 488 |
| 2018 | 539 | 542 | 490 |
| 2019 | 544 | 541 | 493 |
| 2020 | 538 | 536 | 489 |
| 2021 | 541 | 539 | 493 |
| 2022 | 534 | 532 | 489 |
| 2023 | 530 | 529 | 489 |
| 2024 | 530 | 531 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in North Hertfordshire
60.8% of cars in North Hertfordshire run on petrol and 22.8% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 33.0% in 2017. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 8.7%, and cars that plug in 7.2%.
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 | 75.5% | 24.0% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 73.7% | 25.7% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 72.1% | 27.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 70.5% | 28.9% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 69.1% | 30.1% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 67.6% | 31.5% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 66.3% | 32.7% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 65.7% | 33.0% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 65.4% | 32.9% | 1.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 65.4% | 32.4% | 1.4% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2020 | 65.3% | 32.0% | 1.7% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 64.9% | 31.2% | 2.4% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| 2022 | 64.5% | 29.9% | 3.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| 2023 | 64.1% | 28.5% | 4.1% | 2.0% | 1.1% |
| 2024 | 63.4% | 26.8% | 5.4% | 2.5% | 1.5% |
| 2025 | 62.4% | 24.8% | 7.0% | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| 2026 | 60.8% | 22.8% | 8.7% | 4.7% | 2.5% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in North Hertfordshire
3,472 battery electric cars were licensed in North Hertfordshire at the end of June 2026, 4.7% of all cars, 74th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,331 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,568.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.0% are battery electric (2,820 cars), 8th highest of 45 councils in the East of England. Companies keep 18.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.3% of its cars overall. There are also 114 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 | North Hertfordshire | East of England | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | 2.9% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in North Hertfordshire
There were 161 public chargers in North Hertfordshire on 1 July 2026, 74 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 117 for every 100,000 residents, 127th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 26.8% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 27.7 privately kept plug-in cars in North Hertfordshire (UK 12.9), 57th 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 | 127 | 60 |
| Apr 2026 | 147 | 62 |
| Jul 2026 | 161 | 74 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| North Hertfordshire | 117 | 54 |
| Hertfordshire | 208 | 57 |
| East of England | 150 | 49 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
North Hertfordshire has 16 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.6% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.7%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Hertfordshire 016 | 6,319 | 300 | 4.7% | |
| North Hertfordshire 014 | 7,539 | 342 | 4.5% | |
| North Hertfordshire 013 | 4,099 | 179 | 4.4% | |
| North Hertfordshire 008 | 4,254 | 181 | 4.3% | |
| North Hertfordshire 015 | 7,550 | 306 | 4.1% | |
| North Hertfordshire 002 | 7,601 | 294 | 3.9% | |
| North Hertfordshire 012 | 5,976 | 229 | 3.8% | |
| North Hertfordshire 011 | 4,006 | 150 | 3.7% | |
| North Hertfordshire 017 | 4,487 | 156 | 3.5% | |
| North Hertfordshire 006 | 4,156 | 123 | 3.0% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| North Hertfordshire 007 | 2,743 | 55 | 2.0% | |
| North Hertfordshire 009 | 3,548 | 81 | 2.3% | |
| North Hertfordshire 001 | 3,127 | 78 | 2.5% | |
| North Hertfordshire 004 | 6,160 | 163 | 2.6% | |
| North Hertfordshire 010 | 3,948 | 110 | 2.8% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in North Hertfordshire
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 153 | 41 |
| 2022 | 168 | 44 |
| 2023 | 166 | 41 |
| 2024 | 200 | 44 |
| 2025 | 158 | 43 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in North Hertfordshire
Unleaded petrol averages 175.0p a litre across 13 filling stations in North Hertfordshire, 3.5p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.3p, 0.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- BP Greenfields Service Station Royston 169.9p
- Essar Oil UK Letchworth Service Station Letchworth Garden City 169.9p
- Esso Mantles Group Limited Royston 169.9p
How North Hertfordshire compares
| North Hertfordshire | 515 | 4.7% | 117 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertfordshire | 488 | 4.6% | 208 |
| East of England | 501 | 5.6% | 150 |
| 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 North Hertfordshire
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in North Hertfordshire, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 57.5% at Letchworth.
Other centres in Hertfordshire:
- Stevenage 55.3% pass rate, 2025/26
- Bishops Stortford 51.3% pass rate, 2025/26
- Borehamwood (London) 50.8% pass rate, 2025/26
- St Albans 50.7% pass rate, 2025/26
- Watford 46.2% 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 Hertfordshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| St Albans | 503 | 5.8% | 111 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertsmere | 469 | 5.7% | 229 |
| Three Rivers | 513 | 5.1% | 161 |
| North Hertfordshire | 515 | 4.7% | 117 |
| East Hertfordshire | 529 | 4.4% | 135 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 458 | 4.4% | 350 |
| Dacorum | 508 | 4.2% | 159 |
| Watford | 398 | 4.0% | 563 |
| Broxbourne | 486 | 3.4% | 153 |
| Stevenage | 450 | 3.1% | 194 |
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 | 87,570 licensed vehicles in North Hertfordshire | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 5,505 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 North Hertfordshire 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.