Actively controlled coolant tank to increase thermal storage capacity of hybrid electric vehicles

An engine and cabin thermal management system for use with a vehicle, the engine, and cabin thermal management system comprising:

• an engine;
• a cabin heating system configured to thermally heat a cabin of the vehicle;
• an actively controlled coolant tank system having coolant, the actively controlled coolant tank system being operably coupled to the engine and to the cabin heating system to thermally manage a temperature of the engine, a temperature of the coolant inside and outside of the tank system, and a temperature of the cabin, the actively controlled coolant tank system having one or more coolant thermal storage units fluidly coupled with a radiator and heater core of the actively controlled coolant tank system forming a coolant loop with two or more actuators configured to be continuously controlled during operation of the engine and engine stops;
• and
• a predictive and optimization-based control system configured to monitor and maintain via the two or more actuators at least a predetermined coolant temperature at the cabin heating system even during a coolant temperature decrease at the engine stops, the predictive and optimization-based control system configured to monitor and maintain the predetermined coolant temperature at the cabin heating system based at least in part on traffic preview in a model predictive scheme while monitoring and maintaining a coolant level inside the one or more coolant thermal storage units, the model predictive scheme predicting the temperature and level of coolant inside the one or more coolant thermal storage units thereby coordinating the temperature and level of coolant inside the one or more coolant thermal storage units based on traffic and vehicle speed, the predictive and optimization-based control system further configured to ensure a minimum level of coolant is maintained within the one or more coolant thermal storage units to achieve the model predictive scheme.