Waste heat accumulator/distributor system

A waste heat accumulator/distributor system for use in a vehicle comprising:

• an engine coolant loop configured to direct engine coolant through a power plant;
• a powertrain electronics coolant loop configured to direct electronics coolant through a powertrain electronics system;
• a transmission fluid loop configured to direct transmission fluid through a transmission;
• a multi-fluid heat exchanger including an engine coolant inlet configured to selectively receive the engine coolant from the engine coolant loop, an electronics coolant inlet configured to selectively receive the electronics coolant from the powertrain electronic coolant loop, and a transmission fluid inlet configured to selectively receive the transmission fluid from the transmission fluid loop, whereby heat transfer between the engine coolant, the electronics coolant and the transmission fluid can occur in the multi-fluid heat exchanger;
• a first valve controllable to selectively cause the engine coolant to flow into the engine coolant inlet or to bypass the engine coolant inlet of the multi-fluid heat exchanger;
• and
• a second valve controllable to selectively cause the electronics coolant to flow into the electronics coolant inlet or to bypass the electronics coolant inlet of the multi-fluid heat exchanger.