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Nottingham motoring statistics

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

Last updated
Records analysed
123,340 licensed vehicles in Nottingham
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 105,934 +1.8% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 296 UK 441
  • Battery electric cars 3,315 3.1% of cars (UK 5.4%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.1% 76th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 511 154 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 7.4% UK 9.9%

How many cars are there in Nottingham?

There were 105,934 licensed cars in Nottingham at the end of March 2026, and 123,340 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 25.9% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 296 for every 1,000 residents, 25th lowest of 361 councils (UK 441).

Licensed vehicles in Nottingham

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

Licensed cars and vehicles in Nottingham at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 100,82284,167
2011 100,55583,932
2012 98,90783,143
2013 98,91083,826
2014 101,42586,117
2015 103,00287,695
2016 106,28190,330
2017 109,48093,058
2018 110,66594,302
2019 113,45896,380
2020 114,43898,059
2021 115,30198,412
2022 116,78999,589
2023 117,545100,334
2024 119,903102,502
2025 121,455104,026
2026 123,340105,934

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, Nottingham compared
Year NottinghamEast MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2011 276482–
2012 271480–
2013 274485–
2014 281490–
2015 284493473
2016 286496480
2017 292503488
2018 294504490
2019 300509493
2020 301501489
2021 311508493
2022 306505489
2023 309505489
2024 311506490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Nottingham

51.6% of cars in Nottingham run on petrol and 33.2% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 38.3% in 2022. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 10.1%, and cars that plug in 4.8%.

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 Nottingham, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 77.7%22.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2011 75.7%23.9%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 73.8%25.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2013 71.8%27.6%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2014 69.6%29.6%0.6%0.0%0.0%
2015 67.3%31.7%0.8%0.0%0.0%
2016 65.1%33.7%1.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 63.0%35.4%1.2%0.1%0.1%
2018 61.4%36.6%1.5%0.1%0.2%
2019 60.4%37.2%1.9%0.2%0.2%
2020 59.4%37.6%2.3%0.2%0.3%
2021 58.1%38.2%2.8%0.4%0.4%
2022 56.5%38.3%3.7%0.7%0.6%
2023 55.4%37.9%4.7%1.0%0.7%
2024 54.2%36.7%6.3%1.6%0.9%
2025 53.1%35.1%7.9%2.4%1.3%
2026 51.6%33.2%10.1%3.1%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Nottingham

3,315 battery electric cars were licensed in Nottingham at the end of March 2026, 3.1% of all cars, 128th lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,126 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,456.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.1% are battery electric (2,026 cars), 5th lowest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 38.9% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 7.4% of its cars overall. There are also 258 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, Nottingham compared, end of March each year
Year NottinghamEast MidlandsUnited Kingdom
2016 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.1%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.2%0.3%
2021 0.4%0.4%0.7%
2022 0.7%0.8%1.3%
2023 1.0%1.3%2.1%
2024 1.6%1.9%3.0%
2025 2.4%2.7%4.1%
2026 3.1%3.9%5.4%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Nottingham

There were 511 public chargers in Nottingham on 1 July 2026, 166 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 154 for every 100,000 residents, 154th highest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 1.5% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 6.6 privately kept plug-in cars in Nottingham (UK 11.9), 46th fewest 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 Nottingham by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 519162
Apr 2026 522166
Jul 2026 511166

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Nottingham compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Nottingham 15450
East Midlands 12247
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Nottingham has 37 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 1.5% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.3%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Nottingham with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Nottingham 030 4,052 173 4.3% 6.2%
Nottingham 041 5,457 183 3.4% 5.4%
Nottingham 015 3,156 97 3.1% 4.7%
Nottingham 039 1,826 55 3.0% 5.1%
Nottingham 010 3,192 85 2.7% 3.8%
Nottingham 034 3,128 86 2.7% 4.9%
Nottingham 028 1,897 50 2.6% 5.0%
Nottingham 007 3,153 72 2.3% 3.9%
Nottingham 012 3,809 83 2.2% 3.4%
Nottingham 019 4,301 91 2.1% 3.7%
Lowest electric shares
Nottingham 022 1,035 0 0.0% 1.5%
Nottingham 018 2,259 0 0.0% 1.2%
Nottingham 026 2,451 11 0.4% 1.3%
Nottingham 013 3,125 13 0.4% 1.7%
Nottingham 004 3,166 21 0.7% 1.7%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of March 2026. 3 neighbourhoods are left out because DfT withholds small counts there.

Road traffic and collisions in Nottingham

Vehicles travelled an estimated 1,073 million miles on roads in Nottingham in 2025.

Traffic on all roads

Million vehicle miles a year on roads in Nottingham
Year Million vehicle miles
1993 877
1994 890
1995 902
1996 910
1997 916
1998 929
1999 940
2000 937
2001 940
2002 957
2003 963
2004 971
2005 974
2006 981
2007 980
2008 972
2009 977
2010 957
2011 962
2012 960
2013 951
2014 967
2015 973
2016 983
2017 1,006
2018 1,024
2019 1,057
2020 885
2021 944
2022 1,041
2023 1,051
2024 1,070
2025 1,073

Source:DfT 1993 to 2025 Updated

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Nottingham, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 652159
2022 679148
2023 724174
2024 761167
2025 780172

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

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Nottingham

Unleaded petrol averages 169.0p a litre across 25 filling stations in Nottingham, 2.7p below the UK average. Diesel averages 192.0p, 2.6p below the UK average. Prices checked 16 Sept, 16:47.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Asda Strelley Supermarket Nottingham 164.7p
  2. Tesco Cinderhill Express Nottingham 164.9p
  3. Clifton Ln Esso Express Nottingham 164.9p

Every filling station and price in Nottingham

How Nottingham compares

Nottingham compared with the East Midlands, England, the UK
Nottingham 296 3.1% 2.1% 7.4% 154 6.6
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 123,340 licensed vehicles in Nottingham 15 September 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 5,543 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 Nottingham 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.