Electrike neither chase lightning bolts nor plug into outlets, but wear a natural generator; a sleek, green coat of fur which generates static so well that lightning is constantly sparking from their bodies. The tip of their tails, their noses, and the sides of the crests on their heads glow constantly with a bright yellow light. In truth, despite millennia of depictions to the contrary, the fur is as green underneath as the pokemon they belong to, yet this fact is only visible in the unusual conditions where their electric supply is somehow interrupted.
Electrike have long been a mainstay of farmers, and not only for their ability to herd Mareep once they evolve; they shed countless coats of fur in the process of growing. Electrike fur can not be worn, and rubber gloves are typically used when handling it to try to avoid a paralyzing shock, but the prices it brings makes collection more than worth the danger. Long before modern generators, Hoenn captured the power of electricity through a system which relied on massive green walls of shed Electrike fur. The land was powered by a massive sheet attached to a tall pole, one outside each town, and each needed to be continually replenished for the same reason Electrike continually shed; the fur soon loses its static generation ability and drops off the sheet, providing a steady expense for governments and supplemental income for farmers alike.
Although fossil fuels and an increased ability to harness the electricity of other pokemon have made Electrike farming far less profitable in recent years, a growing interest in renewables has seen a recent recovery in prices as much for their eggs as for their fur: Electrike electricity is spreading worldwide.