Keep in mind that the game and anime exist in basically two different universes. The anime had one of the main rivals have a 'Vire he raised from an elekid. Not everything has to go with game logic.
That guy was kind of an assdouche too. If he treated all of his pokémon anything like he treated his Chimchar, than that Elekid never should've evolved.
(Yeah I know the different mechanics, I was just making a funny)