Some of life's biggest changes start with just a small step. In Simon Cowell's case, a very passionate car collector who wouldn't even look twice at an electric vehicle, that small step was his son's scolding him on the topic of climate change.
A couple of years ago, Simon Cowell revealed that he'd had a change in perspective regarding the carbon footprint of his very A-list life, which included, among other things, collecting gas-guzzlers, flying private, and spending every vacation onboard a luxury yacht. The change, he said, came after repeated talks with his then-7-year-old son on the topic of climate change and how it tied to carbon footprints as big as his.
Cowell didn't become a tree-hugger or a climate change activist, but the realization did turn him toward electric vehicles, which he wouldn't have even considered before that. He bought a Tesla that same year and continued to add more EVs to his personal fleet. His most prized electric daily drivers today are those in the photo attached to his story: three cars and one electric bicycle.
"Please meet (from left to right) Buzz, Mouse and Flea and my bike called Spitz. All are electric, including my bike. And all are brilliant to drive/ride!" Cowell wrote on social media last weekend, as he sat front and center of this mini-fleet of EVs, presumably on the grounds of his U.S. home.
Photo: David Brown Automotive
Buzz is a mint green Volkswagen ID. Buzz, Mouse is the Mini eMastered he took delivery of in late 2023, while Flea is a neon green Abarth 500e. The photo is not clear enough to tell the make of Spitz, but based on the name alone, it could be a Spitzing S-Pedelec eMTB, which can be specced with a very powerful motor of 850W.
In August 2020, shortly after taking delivery of a new e-bike and, as he'd later admit, without reading the owner's manual, Cowell hopped on it for a ride, unintentionally popped a wheelie, and broke his back. Recovery was slow and painful, with the mogul even saying that he thought he might never be able to walk again, but feeling grateful for wearing a helmet, or his injuries would have been worse.
Two years later, Cowell again fell off his bike, this time while riding in London, and broke his arm. He's clearly not letting mishaps, whatever their cause or severity, swear him off riding e-bikes.
But the Mini eMastered is probably his favorite of this small lot, based on his own words after the first drive. This classic-styled EV is actually a Mini Remastered by David Brown Automotive turned fully electric. Power comes from an electric motor that makes 97 hp (98 ps/72 kW) and 129 lb-ft (175 Nm) of torque and an 18.8 kWh battery with an estimated per-charge range of 110 miles (177 km).
The Mini eMastered is also the most expensive of the bunch, with a starting price of £125,000, which is approximately $158,500 at the current exchange rate. It's a good thing, then, that Cowell says a classic Mini was always his "dream car" and that this one is "my favorite, a keeper."
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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