East Midlands · District council
North Kesteven motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in North Kesteven, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how North Kesteven compares with the East Midlands. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 70,318 +0.8% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 548 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 2,758 3.9% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.2% 105th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 123 100 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.6% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in North Kesteven?
There were 70,318 licensed cars in North Kesteven at the end of March 2026, and 89,969 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 548 for every 1,000 residents, 55th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in North Kesteven
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71,019 | 57,542 |
| 2011 | 71,845 | 58,214 |
| 2012 | 72,888 | 58,947 |
| 2013 | 73,876 | 59,898 |
| 2014 | 75,442 | 61,070 |
| 2015 | 78,826 | 64,202 |
| 2016 | 78,065 | 63,171 |
| 2017 | 79,954 | 64,632 |
| 2018 | 81,402 | 65,476 |
| 2019 | 83,229 | 66,554 |
| 2020 | 83,962 | 67,374 |
| 2021 | 84,405 | 66,993 |
| 2022 | 85,998 | 67,608 |
| 2023 | 87,181 | 68,401 |
| 2024 | 88,227 | 69,199 |
| 2025 | 89,142 | 69,749 |
| 2026 | 89,969 | 70,318 |
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 | North Kesteven | East Midlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 540 | 482 | – |
| 2012 | 545 | 480 | – |
| 2013 | 553 | 485 | – |
| 2014 | 558 | 490 | – |
| 2015 | 560 | 493 | 473 |
| 2016 | 562 | 496 | 480 |
| 2017 | 568 | 503 | 488 |
| 2018 | 575 | 504 | 490 |
| 2019 | 577 | 509 | 493 |
| 2020 | 569 | 501 | 489 |
| 2021 | 572 | 508 | 493 |
| 2022 | 567 | 505 | 489 |
| 2023 | 570 | 505 | 489 |
| 2024 | 569 | 506 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in North Kesteven
50.9% of cars in North Kesteven run on petrol and 35.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 44.5% in 2019. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.5%, and cars that plug in 6.0%.
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 | 68.1% | 31.6% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 66.0% | 33.6% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 63.9% | 35.6% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 62.0% | 37.5% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 59.9% | 39.6% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 57.9% | 41.4% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 56.3% | 42.9% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.2% | 43.8% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 54.6% | 44.2% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2019 | 54.2% | 44.5% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 54.0% | 44.2% | 1.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 53.7% | 43.8% | 1.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 53.2% | 42.9% | 2.3% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| 2023 | 53.2% | 41.3% | 3.2% | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| 2024 | 52.6% | 39.7% | 4.4% | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| 2025 | 52.0% | 37.5% | 5.9% | 2.6% | 1.6% |
| 2026 | 50.9% | 35.2% | 7.5% | 3.9% | 2.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in North Kesteven
2,758 battery electric cars were licensed in North Kesteven at the end of March 2026, 3.9% of all cars, 126th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,214 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,819.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.2% are battery electric (2,128 cars), 8th highest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 22.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.6% of its cars overall. There are also 88 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 Kesteven | East Midlands | United 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 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | 1.3% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | 1.9% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | 2.7% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 3.9% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in North Kesteven
There were 123 public chargers in North Kesteven on 1 July 2026, 65 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 100 for every 100,000 residents, 94th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 28.1% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 35.0 privately kept plug-in cars in North Kesteven (UK 11.9), 20th 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 | 96 | 45 |
| Apr 2026 | 95 | 43 |
| Jul 2026 | 123 | 65 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| North Kesteven | 100 | 53 |
| Lincolnshire | 116 | 42 |
| East Midlands | 122 | 47 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
North Kesteven has 13 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.7% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.5%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Kesteven 003 | 10,496 | 367 | 3.5% | |
| North Kesteven 006 | 5,208 | 179 | 3.4% | |
| North Kesteven 013 | 5,040 | 168 | 3.3% | |
| North Kesteven 005 | 6,008 | 192 | 3.2% | |
| North Kesteven 008 | 4,107 | 130 | 3.2% | |
| North Kesteven 004 | 6,870 | 215 | 3.1% | |
| North Kesteven 001 | 7,432 | 201 | 2.7% | |
| North Kesteven 011 | 6,212 | 160 | 2.6% | |
| North Kesteven 014 | 5,018 | 126 | 2.5% | |
| North Kesteven 009 | 4,895 | 119 | 2.4% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| North Kesteven 010 | 5,719 | 94 | 1.6% | |
| North Kesteven 012 | 6,227 | 121 | 1.9% | |
| North Kesteven 007 | 6,134 | 141 | 2.3% | |
| North Kesteven 009 | 4,895 | 119 | 2.4% | |
| North Kesteven 014 | 5,018 | 126 | 2.5% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in North Kesteven
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 227 | 78 |
| 2022 | 252 | 71 |
| 2023 | 244 | 65 |
| 2024 | 278 | 76 |
| 2025 | 254 | 74 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in North Kesteven
Unleaded petrol averages 172.9p a litre across 18 filling stations in North Kesteven, 1.2p above the UK average. Diesel averages 194.9p, 0.3p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Shell De Rodes Service Station Boston 166.9p
- Jet Virgo Merchants Boston 166.9p
- Murco Greylees Convenience Store Sleaford 170.9p
How North Kesteven compares
| North Kesteven | 548 | 3.9% | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 517 | 3.3% | 116 |
| East Midlands | 479 | 3.9% | 122 |
| 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 Lincolnshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| North Kesteven | 548 | 3.9% | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lindsey | 547 | 3.7% | 70 |
| South Kesteven | 541 | 3.6% | 112 |
| South Holland | 561 | 3.0% | 79 |
| Lincoln | 362 | 2.9% | 176 |
| East Lindsey | 527 | 2.7% | 143 |
| Boston | 502 | 2.5% | 124 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 89,969 licensed vehicles in North Kesteven | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 4,359 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 North Kesteven 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.