East Midlands · District council
South Kesteven motoring statistics
How many cars and electric cars are registered in South Kesteven, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how South Kesteven compares with the East Midlands. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.
- Licensed cars 83,860 +1.0% on a year earlier
- Private cars per 1,000 people 545 UK 444
- Battery electric cars 3,340 4.0% of cars (UK 5.8%)
- Electric share of private cars 3.4% 130th highest of 361 councils
- Public chargers 164 112 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
- Company-registered cars 4.4% UK 10.0%
How many cars are there in South Kesteven?
There were 83,860 licensed cars in South Kesteven at the end of June 2026, and 103,254 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 21.1% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 545 for every 1,000 residents, 73rd highest of 361 councils (UK 444).
Licensed vehicles in South Kesteven
Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.
| Year | All vehicles | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 83,911 | 69,269 |
| 2011 | 84,585 | 69,920 |
| 2012 | 85,769 | 70,687 |
| 2013 | 87,344 | 72,006 |
| 2014 | 89,200 | 73,534 |
| 2015 | 90,171 | 74,578 |
| 2016 | 92,251 | 76,260 |
| 2017 | 94,310 | 77,907 |
| 2018 | 95,266 | 78,556 |
| 2019 | 96,814 | 79,601 |
| 2020 | 96,377 | 79,377 |
| 2021 | 98,724 | 80,574 |
| 2022 | 99,106 | 80,711 |
| 2023 | 100,395 | 81,609 |
| 2024 | 101,395 | 82,301 |
| 2025 | 102,352 | 83,063 |
| 2026 | 103,254 | 83,860 |
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 Kesteven | East Midlands | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 521 | 482 | – |
| 2012 | 523 | 480 | – |
| 2013 | 528 | 485 | – |
| 2014 | 533 | 490 | – |
| 2015 | 537 | 493 | 473 |
| 2016 | 543 | 496 | 480 |
| 2017 | 552 | 503 | 488 |
| 2018 | 555 | 504 | 490 |
| 2019 | 560 | 509 | 493 |
| 2020 | 556 | 501 | 489 |
| 2021 | 561 | 508 | 493 |
| 2022 | 559 | 505 | 489 |
| 2023 | 559 | 505 | 489 |
| 2024 | 559 | 506 | 490 |
Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated
Petrol, diesel and electric cars in South Kesteven
51.2% of cars in South Kesteven run on petrol and 34.5% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 43.7% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 7.7%, and cars that plug in 6.2%.
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 | 67.8% | 31.9% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 65.8% | 33.7% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | 64.2% | 35.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 62.4% | 37.0% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 60.5% | 38.9% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 58.8% | 40.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 57.3% | 42.0% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 56.1% | 43.0% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 55.2% | 43.7% | 0.8% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 54.9% | 43.7% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 54.6% | 43.7% | 1.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | 54.3% | 43.1% | 1.7% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 53.8% | 42.1% | 2.4% | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| 2023 | 53.5% | 40.8% | 3.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| 2024 | 53.0% | 39.1% | 4.6% | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| 2025 | 52.3% | 36.9% | 6.0% | 2.7% | 1.6% |
| 2026 | 51.2% | 34.5% | 7.7% | 4.0% | 2.2% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Electric cars in South Kesteven
3,340 battery electric cars were licensed in South Kesteven at the end of June 2026, 4.0% of all cars, 158th highest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 5,181 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 2,243.
Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 3.4% are battery electric (2,698 cars), 16th lowest of 35 councils in the East Midlands. Companies keep 19.2% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.4% of its cars overall. There are also 71 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 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% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | 1.4% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | 3.0% | 4.4% |
| 2026 | 4.0% | 4.3% | 5.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Public EV chargers in South Kesteven
There were 164 public chargers in South Kesteven on 1 July 2026, 71 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 112 for every 100,000 residents, 114th lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count fell 11.4% from 1 January 2026.
For every public charger there are 26.4 privately kept plug-in cars in South Kesteven (UK 12.9), 70th 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 | 185 | 102 |
| Apr 2026 | 209 | 112 |
| Jul 2026 | 164 | 71 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Chargers per 100,000 residents
| Area | All chargers | 50kW and above |
|---|---|---|
| South Kesteven | 112 | 48 |
| Lincolnshire | 116 | 42 |
| East Midlands | 122 | 47 |
| England | 173 | 41 |
| UK | 175 | 42 |
Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated
Electric cars by neighbourhood
South Kesteven has 16 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 3.0% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 4.4%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.
| Neighbourhood (MSOA) | Private vehicles | Battery electric | Electric share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Kesteven 010 | 6,254 | 275 | 4.4% | |
| South Kesteven 002 | 7,133 | 267 | 3.7% | |
| South Kesteven 001 | 5,647 | 193 | 3.4% | |
| South Kesteven 012 | 7,555 | 248 | 3.3% | |
| South Kesteven 013 | 4,573 | 151 | 3.3% | |
| South Kesteven 016 | 6,915 | 227 | 3.3% | |
| South Kesteven 004 | 5,862 | 188 | 3.2% | |
| South Kesteven 007 | 7,205 | 218 | 3.0% | |
| South Kesteven 011 | 5,685 | 164 | 2.9% | |
| South Kesteven 014 | 5,094 | 144 | 2.8% | |
| Lowest electric shares | ||||
| South Kesteven 005 | 3,336 | 0 | 0.0% | |
| South Kesteven 003 | 5,371 | 95 | 1.8% | |
| South Kesteven 006 | 6,111 | 116 | 1.9% | |
| South Kesteven 009 | 5,409 | 130 | 2.4% | |
| South Kesteven 008 | 5,892 | 157 | 2.7% | |
Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.
Road traffic and collisions in South Kesteven
Reported injury collisions
| Year | Collisions | Killed or seriously injured |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 265 | 77 |
| 2022 | 290 | 84 |
| 2023 | 296 | 83 |
| 2024 | 306 | 87 |
| 2025 | 299 | 90 |
Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated
Petrol and diesel prices in South Kesteven
Unleaded petrol averages 172.6p a litre across 21 filling stations in South Kesteven, 1.1p above the UK average. Diesel averages 202.8p, 4.1p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.
Cheapest petrol
- Gulf Hindmarch and Co Stamford Ltd Stamford 167.9p
- MFG Morrisons Stamford Stamford 167.9p
- Gulf Great Ponton Fuel Express Automat Grantham 168.7p
How South Kesteven compares
| South Kesteven | 545 | 4.0% | 112 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 522 | 3.6% | 116 |
| 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 Kesteven
There is 1 DVSA car practical test centre in South Kesteven, and the highest pass rate in 2025/26 was 57.9% at Grantham (Somerby).
Other centres in Lincolnshire:
- Skegness 55.9% pass rate, 2025/26
- Louth 53.9% pass rate, 2025/26
- Lincoln 52.1% pass rate, 2025/26
- Boston 50.7% pass rate, 2025/26
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 Lincolnshire
Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.
| North Kesteven | 552 | 4.4% | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lindsey | 552 | 4.1% | 70 |
| South Kesteven | 545 | 4.0% | 112 |
| South Holland | 567 | 3.3% | 79 |
| Lincoln | 363 | 3.1% | 176 |
| East Lindsey | 533 | 3.0% | 143 |
| Boston | 508 | 2.8% | 124 |
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 | 103,254 licensed vehicles in South Kesteven | 26 October 2026 |
| Plug-in and electric vehicles | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 5,298 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 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.