Student-Led Projects · ESTACA

Academic Projects

Large-scale engineering projects built alongside ESTACA. While affiliated with the school, these are 100% student-led initiatives, run independently of the academic curriculum, exams, or credit systems.

Volta EV racing car on track Volta EV Team Volta EV on track action Volta EV chassis build
Student-Led Project · ESTACA Sep 2022 – May 2025

Volta : France's 1st FFSA-Approved Electric Race Car
1st Retrofit Peugeot 208 Cup

Volta is a 100% student-led project that I co-founded and managed over 3 years. We were a team of 30 students who decided to convert a Peugeot 208 Cup into France's first homologated electric racing car. I led the controls division: designed the full low and high voltage architecture, chose components and worked on integration. The Simulink control code was entirely made by us from scratch, using 3×CAN buses to connect the Motec VCU, sensors, and dashboard displays, and all FFSA/FIA-spec safety systems. We made history by obtaining official FFSA approval and competing in the Trophée Tourisme Endurance (TTE) against traditional combustion engine racing cars which had never been done before as an EV. The vehicle successfully completed 3 races on prestigious French tracks: Magny-Cours, Albi, and Val de Vienne.

Team Size

30 students

Project Budget

>€100k

Races Competed

3 races

→Custom active battery cooling system integrating an A/C compressor and custom-fabricated cooling plates
→FIA Appendix J compliance (Art. 253.18) and successful vehicle homologation through the FFSA
→Secured 30+ technical & financial sponsorships, including MoTeC, Monster, Milwaukee, and Sadev Transmissions
→Designed and built a scratch LV wiring harness incorporating a 3× CAN bus network
→Engineered the complete HV distribution system, including custom junction boxes and TE/Amphenol connectors with integrated HVIL
→Programmed and calibrated an open-source inverter board optimized for a Tesla SDU under race conditions
Volta EV battery pack build
Volta EV engine bay layout
Volta EV wiring harness integration
Matlab / Simulink Motec VCU CAN Bus BMS FIA Homologation Team Lead EV Powertrain Li-Ion
Saar-e rally buggy in desert Saar-e at Baja Portalegre Working on Saar-e buggy Saar-e Yamaha buggy chassis

Student-Led Project · ESTACA

Saar-e : Electric Converted Yamaha YXZ-1000 Rally Buggy

Revamped the electrical installation of two electric motorcycle drivetrains into the original Yamaha YXZ-1000 harness. The vehicle competed at the Baja Portalegre 2023 in the YXZ-1000 Cup as the only student entry.

→Dual EV drivetrain integration into factory harness
→Competed at Baja Portalegre 2023 (only student team)
EV Conversion Wiring Harness Baja Portalegre Rally
Team Aerios F1 in Schools Car Team Aerios Group

Student-Led Competition · ESTACA

Team Aerios : Technical Director, F1 in Schools World Finals

Led the technical design, manufacturing, and strategy of the first French team to compete in the Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals in Silverstone (2022). Spearheaded the development of a compressed-air-powered miniature F1 racing car.

→Aerodynamic optimization using ESTACA wind tunnel testing & CFD
→FEA structural package optimization and high-speed CNC manufacturing
→Managed design deadlines, budget limitations, and strict technical regulations
CFD F1 in Schools SolidWorks Wind Tunnel Project Lead

Contact

Open to new challenges in the world of motorsport

Open to full-time roles in motorsport engineering from February 2027. Based in France, open to relocation internationally.

theo.pmcouasnon@gmail.com +33 7 68 64 33 04 LinkedIn