Two students from Iowa State’s solar car Team PrISUm will fly to Australia Sunday to witness the world’s largest solar car race, the World Solar Challenge.

Jason Hill and Brenton Rothchild, both sophomores in computer engineering, will return to Ames on Oct. 27.

“We’re going … to observe our sister school at the University of New South Wales. The race will start at the northern tip of Australia in Darwin, and we will drive south to Adelaide,” Hill said.

Nick Mohr, project director for Team PrISUm, said the World Solar Challenge is one of the most well-known solar car events in the world.

Hill said about 40 teams will be involved in the race, which will cover about 3,000 kilometers, or 1,860 miles.

“We’re going to observe the team and how they work together as well as get design ideas from other teams that will be participating,” Hill said.

Hill said there are major differences between Sunrayce, in which Team PrISUm placed fifth during the summer, and the World Solar Challenge.

“In Sunrayce, every team will stop and start at the same place every day, so if you don’t finish the race in the allotted amount of time, they’ll assess a time penalty.

“In the World Solar Challenge, every team will start the race at the same point. At the end of your allotted time to race that day, you’ll stop … and pick up from that point the next day,” he said.

Hill said only university teams are allowed to participate in Sunrayce, while the World Solar Challenge allows different classes of teams, including corporate teams and high school teams, in addition to the university division.

Hill and Rothchild will arrive two or three days before the race begins, and the race will last five to seven days, Hill said.

“It’s going to be a lot of learning and a lot of fun. This whole journey will be a complete learning experience for me,” he said.

Mohr, junior in mechanical engineering, also thinks the trip will be interesting for Hill and Rothchild.

“This will be a real opportunity for Iowa State students to see technology from around the world,” he said.