In the battery manufacturing industry, there is constant buzz about hot new technology, but often little proof that it actually works IRL.
This is one of the most pressing challenges faced by our client Sakuu, a company accelerating the electric vehicle (EV) revolution with manufacturing innovations that are so futuristic you’d think they come from a sci-fi film. You have to demonstrate that the technology isn’t fantasy — you have to “make it real.”
Sakuu is best known for its invention of the Kavian platform, which uses additive manufacturing (a.k.a. 3D printing) to produce functioning battery cells using a completely dry process. The potential applications of this technology are astounding for EV battery development and their manufacturing process, both of which will be more sustainable and cost-effective for the industry — as well as help advance national energy transition goals.
With Kavian technology, Sakuu was able to produce the world’s first fully functional 3D printed lithium-metal battery, which can be printed into any shape you can imagine. The Kavian platform is a “first” and “only” in its industry — which we PR pros love to hear — but it was a puzzle to figure out how we could make it stand out amidst the constant chatter of battery innovations that won’t hit the market for another 10 years.
Engaging with YouTube influencers
Enter Munro Live. YouTube influencers aren’t typically the kind of targets prioritized for B2B technology comms, but Sandy Munro is an exception.
Known for his incredible automotive teardowns and in-depth technical conversations with industry leaders, engineer and manufacturing expert Sandy Munro (@teardowntitan on X) is the ultimate influencer in the space. His YouTube channel, Munro Live is one of YouTube’s most popular channels on automotive innovation, particularly EV development, with over 435,000 subscribers and more than 41 million views globally.
Sandy is always eager to put new battery and EV tech to the test, so we offered him a chance to review Sakuu’s technology and film a behind-the-scenes tour.
The grand reveal on Munro Live
“3D-Printed Solid-State Battery | Sakuu Tour” premiered on YouTube in September 2023, and Sandy’s review of Sakuu’s capability was largely positive, if not raving.
The content in the video is rather technical, but this directly supports our aim to differentiate Sakuu’s advanced stage of commercial viability by “making it real.” Sandy’s audience for Munro Live is a niche group of EV enthusiasts, many of whom work in the field and possess extensive technical knowledge. It turns out, having a real expert offer his stamp of approval for Sakuu’s products to an audience of skilled enthusiasts goes a long way.
The video was a huge success: It accumulated over 50K views and 200+ comments online.
Seeing is believing
Because Sakuu’s technology impressed him so much, Sandy became a true fan of the company, and began spontaneously (and publicly) evangelizing their battery technology (like at this unrelated Tesla Cybertruck event).
When Sakuu’s Cypress battery technology recently reached two key industry milestones: 1,000+ cycles and UN 38.3 certification, we invited Sandy back to Sakuu HQ for updates. Munro Live showcased the 1,000 cycle milestone on camera in a second episode that garnered 48K views in under a month.
In the battery industry, seeing is believing. These video tours are the perfect visual accompaniment to more traditional PR news distribution about Sakuu’s dry-process battery manufacturing achievements, and offer coveted third-party validation.
Going B2B viral
There’s real excitement that comes with announcing new technology. In an effort to build the relationship further, we offered Munro Live the exclusive for Sakuu’s debut of its metal-free battery cell, which Sandy heralded as “the end of the ice age.”
Third time’s the charm: this episode went B2B tech “viral”— quickly racking up more than 350,000 views (and counting) and more than 1,000 comments on YouTube.
The uptick in attention isn’t limited to YouTube, either. Within two weeks of Munro’s latest videos, Sakuu saw a 300% increase in followers on X and received several invitations to contribute expertise to industry outlets and events.
What was once a project to “make it real” has become a mutually beneficial relationship celebrating innovation across a powerful and popular platform, and serves as a testament that the right audience fit isn’t always cultivated where you expect.
