It wasn't as high scoring an affair compared with prior years, but electric vehicles once again beat their gas-powered counterparts in Super Bowl ads.

Why it matters: The costly buys — millions of dollars for each 30 seconds — reflect "the ability of these spots to drive domestic consumption trends," BloombergNEF analyst Corey Cantor writes.

State of play: This year Volkswagen, Kia, BMW and Toyota all showed off electric models to the massive audience.

The intrigue: Detroit automakers stayed on the sidelines this year, Cantor writes, citing the need to cut costs. Lost revenues from last year's auto strike may have played a role, he notes.

Go deeper: More celebs, less crypto: 2024's Superbowl ad trends