Australia is set to get its first electric vehicle-only drive-in movie theatre, mixing old entertainment with new technology.

The event, created by electric car brand Polestar, will see all Australians with a battery electric vehicle from any brand invited to attend four sessions held on a Sydney rooftop in May.

The screenings will come after Australian sales of electric vehicles hit a new record in February, and research revealed more than 83,000 electric cars were now on Australian roads.

Polestar marketing head Jonathan Williams said the event would be a new way to reward sustainable car owners and would be free to attend for those driving a Polestar 2 vehicle.

“Electrifying the drive-in was on the wish list,” Mr Williams said.

The four drive-in movie screenings, which would feature three new-release films and one classic film, will be held in Moore Park from May 4 to 7 by Mov’in Car and powered by battery generators.

Thousands of motorists will be eligible to attend the events after sales figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries showed Australians bought more than 5900 electric vehicles in February, accounting for 6.8 per cent of all new cars sold – a new record.

Figures also showed Australians purchased more than 33,000 electric cars throughout 2022, and the Electric Vehicle Council estimated more than 83,000 were on local roads at the start of 2023.

By contrast, the number of drive-in movie theatres in Australia has shrunk from more than 300 to fewer than 20.

The Lunar Drive-In Theatre in Dandenong, Victoria, became the latest to close in January and only three drive-in theatres are currently operating in New South Wales, in Newcastle, Dubbo and Blacktown.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
(Australian Associated Press)