I was recently struck down with a brutal case of flu (the man-flu variety) and spent four long days confined to my bedroom. Fortunately, my housemates are all committed germophobes and my partner had already self-diagnosed with Munchausen’s, so I was left entirely to my own devices.
Which meant one thing: time to stream.
But with the guilt of knowing my colleagues were holding down the fort at work, I decided that instead of rewatching Line of Duty for the sixth time, I’d use the downtime a little more productively. So, I turned my attention to something that’s been on my radar for a while: how EVs are represented in film and TV.
A bit of digging led me to Netflix’s partnership with General Motors, launched in 2023, designed to “give electric vehicles (EVs) the stage they deserve.”
Here are some noticeable shows/films I enjoyed during my involuntary Netflix binge...
Three Body Problem
Not technically part of the Netflix/GM partnership, but worth a shout. I was delighted (yes, delirious and delighted) to spot the Hyundai Ioniq 5 popping up in this sci-fi epic. Humanity might be facing interstellar threats, but at least we’ve sorted the charging situation.
The Madness
In this thriller, there’s a cameo from the first-gen Nissan Leaf; a proper OG of the EV world. Think of it as a respectful nod to the pioneers who were driving electric before it was cool...
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Tony Stark flexes a prototype Audi e-tron GT, stunning on-screen, and digitally created for dramatic effect. This isn’t just a superhero ride; it’s the perfect pop-culture bust for EV normalisation.
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo. Not the plot hero, but emblematic of electric mobility creeping into the mainstream!
As they pop up across genres, (action, family drama, sci-fi) they’re starting to feel familiar, not futuristic. That’s the kind of cultural normalisation that nudges public perception: EVs aren’t oddities. They’re just... what people drive now.
That’s the power of subtle representation. When we see beloved characters hopping into an EV without fanfare, no look at me saving the planet monologue, it reframes electric driving as ordinary. Everyday. Just another car choice, not a lifestyle manifesto.
And when you’re trying to shift public attitudes towards electric driving, that kind of cultural normalisation is half the battle. Charging networks, policy, and incentives all matter (a lot), but people’s perception of what’s “normal” is shaped by culture. If an EV can casually appear in a romcom, a crime drama, or a sci-fi epic, it means the technology has crossed over from being “the future” to simply being the present.
In short: seeing EVs on screen isn’t just product placement. It’s a quiet, powerful form of social proof that says: Relax. This is just how people get around now.
So, did my flu-added Netflix binge contribute to the great EV transition? Probably not. But it did give me a new appreciation for the role screens big and small play in shaping how we see cars, driving, and the future of transport.
Also, it stopped me from rewatching Line of Duty again. So that’s a win all round.