From the Workshop to the Track: ÉTS Students Push the Limits of Electric Motorcycle Performance with PLACIDE support

COMETS is developing its next-generation prototype for MotoStudent 9 in Spain, with more than 80% of the tools used by the team coming from Placide & Milwaukee.

BELOEIL, QUEBEC, CANADA, October 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Designing an electric motorcycle capable of reaching 206 km/h, developing its own electronic and aerodynamic systems, manufacturing its components and putting them to the test on an international race track: for COMETS, the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) electric motorcycle team, competition is much more than racing. It is an engineering laboratory where students turn classroom knowledge into real-world solutions.

To support this work, Outillage Placide Mathieu (PLACIDE) and Milwaukee provide COMETS with professional-grade tools and hands-on support. More than 80% of the tools used by the team are Milwaukee products, supporting students both in their workshops in Quebec and during international competitions.

COMETS brings together approximately 40 members, including 25 active members, across seven technical departments and three management departments. Students work on every stage of the motorcycle development process, including vehicle dynamics, chassis and suspension, power transmission, aerodynamics, thermal management, high- and low-voltage systems, electronics, programming and data acquisition.

The team's current prototype, Atlas, reaches a top speed of 206 km/h, delivers 60 kW of power and weighs approximately 140 kg. Its development has involved CNC-machined aluminum structures, pre-impregnated carbon-fiber components, control systems and data acquisition. The result is a platform where students can design, manufacture, test, measure and optimize their engineering decisions under real-world conditions.

Professional tools are an integral part of that process. COMETS uses Milwaukee M18 impact drivers and drills, an M12 blower, an M12 polisher and an M18 random orbital sander. Four PACKOUT towers help the team organize and transport equipment between departments and competitions. At the track, the M12 blower can be used to cool the motorcycle between sessions, while the polisher and random orbital sander are used to prepare and polish molds for carbon-fiber components.

“ This partnership gives us much more than equipment. It allows us to use professional tools every day that meet the demands of our project, while also giving us visibility with other teams and international partners. At our last competition in Spain, we were proud to represent Milwaukee and PLACIDE right there on the track.”

— Alexis Philippe, Mechanical Captain, COMETS Electric Motorcycle Team

COMETS is already developing its next-generation prototype. The team is completing its design phase and plans to begin manufacturing in November 2026. The new motorcycle will feature a fully carbon-fiber structural chassis, a structural flax-fiber subframe and a complete aerodynamic package designed and simulated by COMETS members.

The prototype is scheduled to compete in MotoStudent 9 in Spain in October 2027. More than 100 teams are expected to participate, giving the students another opportunity to put their engineering choices to the test against teams from around the world.

The partnership between PLACIDE, Milwaukee and COMETS is part of a broader commitment to supporting the next generation of engineers at ÉTS. The partners have also supported OMER, an autonomous submarine team, and Chinook, an aerospace engineering team. In 2025, OMER earned several distinctions at the International Submarine Races in Washington, D.C., including a world speed record of 7.68 knots.

“At PLACIDE, we believe expertise is built both in the classroom and in the field. Supporting teams such as COMETS, OMER and other student projects allows us to bring future engineers closer to the realities of industry and give them access to professional tools in projects where they can truly put their skills to the test. Seeing this partnership follow them all the way to international competitions is a great source of pride for us.”

— Vincent Mathieu, General Manager, Outillage Placide Mathieu

From the ÉTS workshop to international race tracks, COMETS is turning electric motorcycle competition into a laboratory for innovation while developing the practical skills of the engineers who will contribute to the mobility technologies of tomorrow.

Marie Desjardins
Outillage Placide Mathieu
+1 450-467-3565
marie@placide.com
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