East Midlands · District council
North West Leicestershire motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in North West Leicestershire, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how North West Leicestershire compares with the East Midlands. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 63,371 +1.5% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 542 UK 441
- Battery electric cars 2,781 4.4% of cars (UK 5.4%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.6% 51st highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 165 148 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.3% UK 9.9%
How many cars are there in North West Leicestershire?
There were 63,371 licensed cars in North West Leicestershire at the end of March 2026, and 83,052 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 30.4% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 542 for every 1,000 residents, 72nd highest of 361 councils (UK 441).
Licensed vehicles in North West Leicestershire
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61,786 | 48,608 |
| 2011 | 62,240 | 49,019 |
| 2012 | 62,414 | 49,176 |
| 2013 | 62,920 | 49,707 |
| 2014 | 64,011 | 50,755 |
| 2015 | 65,093 | 51,831 |
| 2016 | 66,871 | 53,167 |
| 2017 | 69,076 | 54,626 |
| 2018 | 70,944 | 55,883 |
| 2019 | 73,272 | 57,477 |
| 2020 | 74,356 | 58,824 |
| 2021 | 75,028 | 58,803 |
| 2022 | 77,258 | 59,845 |
| 2023 | 79,890 | 60,581 |
| 2024 | 81,093 | 61,674 |
| 2025 | 81,734 | 62,421 |
| 2026 | 83,052 | 63,371 |
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 West Leicestershire | East Midlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 526 | 482 | – |
| 2012 | 526 | 480 | – |
| 2013 | 533 | 485 | – |
| 2014 | 540 | 490 | – |
| 2015 | 542 | 493 | 473 |
| 2016 | 549 | 496 | 480 |
| 2017 | 556 | 503 | 488 |
| 2018 | 560 | 504 | 490 |
| 2019 | 567 | 509 | 493 |
| 2020 | 565 | 501 | 489 |
| 2021 | 568 | 508 | 493 |
| 2022 | 559 | 505 | 489 |
| 2023 | 556 | 505 | 489 |
| 2024 | 555 | 506 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in North West Leicestershire
53.1% of cars in North West Leicestershire run on petrol and 33.6% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 41.9% in 2019. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.2%, and cars that plug in 6.7%.
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | Battery electric | Plug-in hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.7% | 29.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 68.7% | 30.9% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 67.1% | 32.5% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 65.5% | 34.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 63.6% | 35.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 61.8% | 37.6% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 60.1% | 39.2% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 58.5% | 40.7% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 57.2% | 41.6% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 56.8% | 41.9% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2020 | 56.5% | 41.8% | 1.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 56.3% | 41.5% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 55.8% | 40.7% | 1.8% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| 2023 | 55.4% | 39.6% | 2.6% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| 2024 | 54.8% | 38.2% | 3.5% | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| 2025 | 54.0% | 36.1% | 4.8% | 3.0% | 1.7% |
| 2026 | 53.1% | 33.6% | 6.2% | 4.4% | 2.3% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Electric cars in North West Leicestershire
2,781 battery electric cars were licensed in North West Leicestershire at the end of March 2026, 4.4% of all cars, 69th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,225 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,900.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.6% are battery electric (2,183 cars), 4th highest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 21.5% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.3% of its cars overall. There are also 113 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 West Leicestershire | East Midlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0% | 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 | 1.3% | 1.3% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | 1.9% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | 2.7% | 4.1% |
| 2026 | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in North West Leicestershire
There were 165 public chargers in North West Leicestershire on 1 July 2026, 48 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 148 for every 100,000 residents, 166th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 7.1% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 20.8 privately kept plug-in cars in North West Leicestershire (UK 11.9), 105th 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 | 154 | 40 |
| Apr 2026 | 162 | 42 |
| Jul 2026 | 165 | 48 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| North West Leicestershire | 148 | 43 |
| Leicestershire | 116 | 45 |
| East Midlands | 122 | 47 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
North West Leicestershire has 13 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.3% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.1%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North West Leicestershire 003 | 5,446 | 224 | 4.1% | |
| North West Leicestershire 005 | 5,118 | 206 | 4.0% | |
| North West Leicestershire 006 | 4,292 | 171 | 4.0% | |
| North West Leicestershire 001 | 7,034 | 272 | 3.9% | |
| North West Leicestershire 011 | 8,480 | 325 | 3.8% | |
| North West Leicestershire 008 | 6,167 | 207 | 3.4% | |
| North West Leicestershire 012 | 5,569 | 183 | 3.3% | |
| North West Leicestershire 002 | 4,425 | 140 | 3.2% | |
| North West Leicestershire 013 | 8,413 | 227 | 2.7% | |
| North West Leicestershire 004 | 3,950 | 80 | 2.0% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| North West Leicestershire 010 | 4,249 | 77 | 1.8% | |
| North West Leicestershire 009 | 4,262 | 77 | 1.8% | |
| North West Leicestershire 007 | 4,442 | 78 | 1.8% | |
| North West Leicestershire 004 | 3,950 | 80 | 2.0% | |
| North West Leicestershire 013 | 8,413 | 227 | 2.7% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in North West Leicestershire
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 113 | 37 |
| 2022 | 100 | 34 |
| 2023 | 111 | 44 |
| 2024 | 120 | 49 |
| 2025 | 121 | 30 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in North West Leicestershire
Unleaded petrol averages 177.1p a litre across 15 filling stations in North West Leicestershire, 5.4p above the UK average. Diesel averages 196.5p, 1.9p above the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.
Cheapest petrol
- Tesco Ashby De La Zouch Extra Ashby-De-La-Zouch 167.9p
- MFG Morrisons Coalville Coalville 167.9p
- Esso MFG Ashby Ashby-De-La-Zouch 169.9p
Every filling station and price in North West Leicestershire
How North West Leicestershire compares
| North West Leicestershire | 542 | 4.4% | 148 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire | 521 | 4.1% | 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 Leicestershire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Harborough | 555 | 4.8% | 126 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North West Leicestershire | 542 | 4.4% | 148 |
| Blaby | 519 | 4.3% | 192 |
| Hinckley and Bosworth | 548 | 3.9% | 85 |
| Charnwood | 475 | 3.8% | 79 |
| Melton | 571 | 3.7% | 63 |
| Oadby and Wigston | 461 | 3.4% | 131 |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 83,052 licensed vehicles in North West Leicestershire | 15 September 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 4,416 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 West Leicestershire 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.