Prior to the start of the X & Y arc Élec was an Electrike used by Clemont alongside other Electric-type Pokémon to power the Prism Tower during a blackout. Élec first appeared as an Electrike in Charging After Electrike, watching X battle against the Lumiose Press editor-in-chief. Upon seeing X defeat the Lumiose Press editor-in-chief, he became impressed with X and began following the group when they left Lumiose City.
In Fast-Thinking Froakie Electrike appears in front of the group and steals Y's clothes, forcing X and the others to give chase. Electrike is soon stopped by Croaky and forced to battle him. Due to Croaky's speed and jumping skills, he easily dodges Electrike's moves and manages to take back Y's clothes. Despite lossing the battle Electrike continues to try and take Y's clothes. X deduces that he doesn't want her to change out of her flight suit in order to reach something high up, and Electrike agrees enthusiastically. Y begins to argue that she won't do it and Electrike evolves into Manectric, convincing Y to help out. X then figures out that he is looking for a Manectite and Clemont agrees to help look for it.
After Clemont puts the information into his sensor the group finds the Manectite on top of a tree. However, a Team Flare Grunt also found the stone and attempts to take it, knocking the tree down on Clemont and stealing the stone. X, Trevor, and Manectric give chase and eventually end up in the Parfum Palace. Upon arriving the Grunt's Tyrunt steals Li'l Kanga's Mega Stone as well. X turns to Manectric to reaffirm its desire for the Mega Stone and asks him if he would like to battle together with him, to which the discharge Pokémon nods. With the confirmation X gives him the nickname Élec and onto his back and charges towards the Team Flare Grunt.
Élec attacks with Wild Charge, but fails to do any real damage due to Tyrunt being a Dragon-type. Tyrunt then attacks with Earthquake, knocking Élec to the ground. Assuming the battle is over the Grunt begins to leave, only to be bitten by Élec, who survived the attack due to Trevor's Flabébé's Grassy Terrain halving the damage. While being dragged around Flabébé sneaks into the Grunt's pocket and reclaims the Mega Stones, allowing Élec to Mega Evolve. He then attacks with a powerful Thunder attack and scares the Grunt away.
In Burning Fletchinder, Élec is used to defeat the Aegislash that Malva was using to control the Sky Trainers.
In Pyroar Breathes, Élec was used in X's attempt to break into Team Flare's hideout in Geosenge Town. While sneaking in Élec used Wild Charge to defeat a Grunt's Noibat. Once inside Élec teamed up with Kanga and Garma to fight Lysandre's Mega Gyarados, Pyroar, and Mienfoo. Élec ends up fighting his Gyarados and took heavy damage due to Gyarados's Bite attack dealing more damage with its new Dark-type. Élec soon recovers though and uses Wild Charge to deal back the damage he took. Lysandre then questions why X hasn't Mega Evolved a Pokémon yet, only for a Mega Evolved Li'l Kanga to sneak up on Gyarados and attack, dealing a lot of damage. Lysandre then ask X if the sneak attack was worth it, and X reveals that he also choose to not Mega Evolve Élec due to his Lightning Rod Ability being used to drain Lysandre's machine's energy, allowing Xerneas to recover. Despite all this, X and his team are later seen defeated.