A system for capturing and storing energy from heat expelled in engine exhaust in a motor vehicle, the system comprising: a generator configured to receive the engine exhaust and circulate a first solution comprising a solute, the solute vaporizable into a gaseous state by heat absorbed from the received engine exhaust; a condenser fluidly coupled to the generator for receiving solute vaporized from the first solution, the condenser configured to condense the vaporized solute into a liquid state; an evaporator fluidly coupled to the condenser, the evaporator comprising a first fluid passage for circulating the condensed solute and a second fluid passage for circulating a second solution, the first and second fluid passages arranged to provide heat exchange therebetween so that the condensed solute circulating within the first fluid passage is vaporizable into the gaseous state by heat absorbed from the second solution circulating within the second fluid passage to thereby cool the second solution; and a thermal storage tank configured to house a third solution for storing thermal energy, the thermal storage tank comprising a third fluid passage coupled to the second fluid passage of the evaporator for providing heat exchange between the second solution and the third solution; characterized in that it comprises: a bypass valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the generator in a cold storage mode to the condenser or in a heat storage mode to the evaporator, such that the condenser is bypassed when the generator is fluidly coupled to the evaporator with the bypass valve wherein, when the condenser is bypassed, the vaporized solute circulating within the first fluid passage dissipates thermal energy to the second solution circulating within the second fluid passage to thereby heat the second solution; a controller interconnected with the bypass valve for switching between the cold storage mode and the heat storage mode. a generator configured to receive the engine exhaust and circulate a first solution comprising a solute, the solute vaporizable into a gaseous state by heat absorbed from the received engine exhaust; a condenser fluidly coupled to the generator for receiving solute vaporized from the first solution, the condenser configured to condense the vaporized solute into a liquid state; an evaporator fluidly coupled to the condenser, the evaporator comprising a first fluid passage for circulating the condensed solute and a second fluid passage for circulating a second solution, the first and second fluid passages arranged to provide heat exchange therebetween so that the condensed solute circulating within the first fluid passage is vaporizable into the gaseous state by heat absorbed from the second solution circulating within the second fluid passage to thereby cool the second solution; and a thermal storage tank configured to house a third solution for storing thermal energy, the thermal storage tank comprising a third fluid passage coupled to the second fluid passage of the evaporator for providing heat exchange between the second solution and the third solution; characterized in that it comprises: a bypass valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the generator in a cold storage mode to the condenser or in a heat storage mode to the evaporator, such that the condenser is bypassed when the generator is fluidly coupled to the evaporator with the bypass valve wherein, when the condenser is bypassed, the vaporized solute circulating within the first fluid passage dissipates thermal energy to the second solution circulating within the second fluid passage to thereby heat the second solution; a bypass valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the generator in a cold storage mode to the condenser or in a heat storage mode to the evaporator, such that the condenser is bypassed when the generator is fluidly coupled to the evaporator with the bypass valve wherein, when the condenser is bypassed, the vaporized solute circulating within the first fluid passage dissipates thermal energy to the second solution circulating within the second fluid passage to thereby heat the second solution; a controller interconnected with the bypass valve for switching between the cold storage mode and the heat storage mode.