East Midlands · District council
South Derbyshire motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in South Derbyshire, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how South Derbyshire compares with the East Midlands. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 65,935 +1.0% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 542 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 3,191 4.8% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 4.4% 22nd highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 134 114 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 3.5% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in South Derbyshire?
There were 65,935 licensed cars in South Derbyshire at the end of June 2026, and 81,387 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 33.6% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 542 for every 1,000 residents, 79th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in South Derbyshire
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 59,312 | 49,337 |
| 2011 | 61,505 | 51,453 |
| 2012 | 61,905 | 51,978 |
| 2013 | 61,257 | 51,131 |
| 2014 | 62,617 | 52,298 |
| 2015 | 63,706 | 53,031 |
| 2016 | 65,156 | 54,008 |
| 2017 | 66,587 | 55,151 |
| 2018 | 68,254 | 56,628 |
| 2019 | 70,653 | 58,414 |
| 2020 | 71,145 | 58,900 |
| 2021 | 74,090 | 60,670 |
| 2022 | 75,955 | 61,956 |
| 2023 | 77,462 | 63,275 |
| 2024 | 79,176 | 64,403 |
| 2025 | 80,427 | 65,254 |
| 2026 | 81,387 | 65,935 |
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 | South Derbyshire | East Midlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 542 | 482 | – |
| 2012 | 544 | 480 | – |
| 2013 | 532 | 485 | – |
| 2014 | 538 | 490 | – |
| 2015 | 543 | 493 | 473 |
| 2016 | 548 | 496 | 480 |
| 2017 | 552 | 503 | 488 |
| 2018 | 560 | 504 | 490 |
| 2019 | 565 | 509 | 493 |
| 2020 | 560 | 501 | 489 |
| 2021 | 562 | 508 | 493 |
| 2022 | 557 | 505 | 489 |
| 2023 | 553 | 505 | 489 |
| 2024 | 548 | 506 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in South Derbyshire
53.1% of cars in South Derbyshire run on petrol and 32.1% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 42.4% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.2%, 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 | 70.5% | 29.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 69.0% | 30.0% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 65.4% | 31.6% | 2.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 64.2% | 34.9% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 62.1% | 36.9% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 60.1% | 38.8% | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 58.3% | 40.4% | 1.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 57.3% | 41.6% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 56.4% | 42.3% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 56.3% | 42.3% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 55.8% | 42.4% | 1.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 55.8% | 41.6% | 1.6% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 55.4% | 40.5% | 2.4% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| 2023 | 55.1% | 39.0% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| 2024 | 55.0% | 37.3% | 4.1% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| 2025 | 54.1% | 34.9% | 5.6% | 3.1% | 1.8% |
| 2026 | 53.1% | 32.1% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 2.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in South Derbyshire
3,191 battery electric cars were licensed in South Derbyshire at the end of June 2026, 4.8% of all cars, 64th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 4,764 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,040.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 4.4% are battery electric (2,783 cars), 2nd highest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 12.8% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 3.5% of its cars overall. There are also 80 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 | South Derbyshire | 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% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | 1.4% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 3.1% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in South Derbyshire
There were 134 public chargers in South Derbyshire on 1 July 2026, 25 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 114 for every 100,000 residents, 119th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 3.9% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 31.4 privately kept plug-in cars in South Derbyshire (UK 12.9), 39th 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 | 129 | 21 |
| Apr 2026 | 132 | 25 |
| Jul 2026 | 134 | 25 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| South Derbyshire | 114 | 21 |
| Derbyshire | 119 | 45 |
| East Midlands | 122 | 47 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
South Derbyshire has 12 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.7% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 5.2%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Derbyshire 001 | 6,841 | 359 | 5.2% | |
| South Derbyshire 004 | 7,425 | 379 | 5.1% | |
| South Derbyshire 005 | 4,669 | 220 | 4.7% | |
| South Derbyshire 002 | 8,333 | 386 | 4.6% | |
| South Derbyshire 006 | 4,813 | 181 | 3.8% | |
| South Derbyshire 011 | 9,121 | 346 | 3.8% | |
| South Derbyshire 003 | 6,962 | 245 | 3.5% | |
| South Derbyshire 012 | 6,487 | 205 | 3.2% | |
| South Derbyshire 013 | 5,473 | 162 | 3.0% | |
| South Derbyshire 007 | 5,167 | 144 | 2.8% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| South Derbyshire 008 | 5,926 | 153 | 2.6% | |
| South Derbyshire 009 | 4,520 | 123 | 2.7% | |
| South Derbyshire 007 | 5,167 | 144 | 2.8% | |
| South Derbyshire 013 | 5,473 | 162 | 3.0% | |
| South Derbyshire 012 | 6,487 | 205 | 3.2% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in South Derbyshire
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 168 | 45 |
| 2022 | 198 | 42 |
| 2023 | 169 | 41 |
| 2024 | 179 | 53 |
| 2025 | 150 | 44 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in South Derbyshire
Unleaded petrol averages 169.3p a litre across 5 filling stations in South Derbyshire, 2.2p below the UK average. Diesel averages 197.1p, 1.6p below the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Unbranded Bridge Garage Swadlincote Limited Swadlincote 164.9p
- Gulf Etwall Road Fuel Express Automat Derby 168.7p
- Essar Oil UK Midway Fuel Station Swadlincote 169.9p
How South Derbyshire compares
| South Derbyshire | 542 | 4.8% | 114 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | 523 | 4.2% | 119 |
| East Midlands | 483 | 4.3% | 122 |
| 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 South Derbyshire
There is no DVSA car practical test centre in South Derbyshire. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Derbyshire.
Centres in Derbyshire:
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 Derbyshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| Chesterfield | 480 | 5.0% | 258 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Derbyshire | 542 | 4.8% | 114 |
| Amber Valley | 533 | 4.2% | 75 |
| Bolsover | 510 | 4.2% | 156 |
| North East Derbyshire | 538 | 4.1% | 38 |
| Derbyshire Dales | 587 | 4.0% | 180 |
| High Peak | 514 | 3.7% | 108 |
| Erewash | 491 | 3.6% | 66 |
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 | 81,387 licensed vehicles in South Derbyshire | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 4,897 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 South Derbyshire 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.