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North Northamptonshire motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
254,654 licensed vehicles in North Northamptonshire
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 209,211 +2.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 516 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 10,011 4.8% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 3.0% 136th highest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 472 126 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 7.7% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in North Northamptonshire?

There were 209,211 licensed cars in North Northamptonshire at the end of March 2026, and 254,654 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 30.2% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 516 for every 1,000 residents, 116th highest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in North Northamptonshire

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in North Northamptonshire at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 190,935160,668
2011 191,231160,652
2012 193,154162,284
2013 195,359164,310
2014 200,324168,144
2015 205,349172,117
2016 212,379177,641
2017 218,967183,049
2018 222,395185,859
2019 227,149189,359
2020 230,230192,057
2021 230,926191,759
2022 234,642193,581
2023 237,843195,963
2024 243,617200,439
2025 248,941204,724
2026 254,654209,211

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, North Northamptonshire compared
Year North NorthamptonshireEast MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2011 508482–
2012 506480–
2013 510485–
2014 515490–
2015 518493473
2016 524496480
2017 530503488
2018 533504490
2019 537509493
2020 534501489
2021 537508493
2022 535505489
2023 536505489
2024 541506490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in North Northamptonshire

51.4% of cars in North Northamptonshire run on petrol and 33.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.4% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.6%, and cars that plug in 7.7%.

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 North Northamptonshire, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 70.0%29.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 69.1%30.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 67.3%32.2%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 65.7%33.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2014 63.9%35.6%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2015 62.1%37.2%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2016 60.4%38.8%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2017 59.1%39.9%0.6%0.1%0.2%
2018 57.8%40.9%0.8%0.1%0.3%
2019 57.0%41.3%0.9%0.1%0.4%
2020 56.5%41.4%1.2%0.2%0.5%
2021 55.9%41.3%1.5%0.4%0.7%
2022 54.9%40.9%2.0%0.9%1.0%
2023 54.2%40.0%2.7%1.5%1.3%
2024 53.3%38.5%3.8%2.3%1.8%
2025 52.5%36.4%5.1%3.3%2.3%
2026 51.4%33.9%6.6%4.8%3.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in North Northamptonshire

10,011 battery electric cars were licensed in North Northamptonshire at the end of March 2026, 4.8% of all cars, 45th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 16,210 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 6,721.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.0% are battery electric (5,826 cars), 17th lowest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 41.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 7.7% of its cars overall. There are also 473 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, North Northamptonshire compared, end of March each year
Year North NorthamptonshireEast 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 0.2%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.4%0.7%
2022 0.9%0.8%1.3%
2023 1.5%1.3%2.1%
2024 2.3%1.9%3.0%
2025 3.3%2.7%4.1%
2026 4.8%3.9%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in North Northamptonshire

There were 472 public chargers in North Northamptonshire on 1 July 2026, 166 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 126 for every 100,000 residents, 151st lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 7.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 17.9 privately kept plug-in cars in North Northamptonshire (UK 11.9), 146th 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 North Northamptonshire by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 508159
Apr 2026 517159
Jul 2026 472166

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, North Northamptonshire compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
North Northamptonshire 12644
East Midlands 12247
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

North Northamptonshire has 40 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.6% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.4%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in North Northamptonshire with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
North Northamptonshire 021 7,224 316 4.4% 6.4%
North Northamptonshire 026 6,497 264 4.1% 6.1%
North Northamptonshire 020 4,506 176 3.9% 6.1%
North Northamptonshire 006 9,255 356 3.8% 5.7%
North Northamptonshire 010 6,916 254 3.7% 5.9%
North Northamptonshire 012 4,875 179 3.7% 6.1%
North Northamptonshire 001 4,985 181 3.6% 6.1%
North Northamptonshire 023 6,200 212 3.4% 5.2%
North Northamptonshire 008 6,680 215 3.2% 5.4%
North Northamptonshire 038 7,652 246 3.2% 5.1%
Lowest electric shares
North Northamptonshire 016 4,082 24 0.6% 1.5%
North Northamptonshire 017 3,922 26 0.7% 1.8%
North Northamptonshire 037 4,976 62 1.2% 1.8%
North Northamptonshire 031 3,043 39 1.3% 2.3%
North Northamptonshire 007 4,645 60 1.3% 2.5%

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

Road traffic and collisions in North Northamptonshire

Vehicles travelled an estimated 2,340 million miles on roads in North Northamptonshire in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in North Northamptonshire
Year Million vehicle miles
2021 2,043
2022 2,174
2023 2,254
2024 2,315
2025 2,340

Source:DfT 2021 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in North Northamptonshire, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 423101
2022 482107
2023 48493
2024 489109
2025 557161

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in North Northamptonshire

Unleaded petrol averages 173.1p a litre across 44 filling stations in North Northamptonshire, 1.4p above the UK average. Diesel averages 195.6p, 1.0p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Tesco Kettering Extra Kettering 162.9p
  2. Asda Kettering Superstore Kettering 163.7p
  3. MFG Morrisons Kettering Kettering 163.9p

Every filling station and price in North Northamptonshire

How North Northamptonshire compares

North Northamptonshire compared with the East Midlands, England, the UK
North Northamptonshire 516 4.8% 3.0% 7.7% 126 17.9
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 254,654 licensed vehicles in North Northamptonshire 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 16,906 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 Northamptonshire 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.