Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a thermal management system, an electric drive, a traction battery electrically coupled to the electric drive and a thermal energy source thermally coupled to the traction battery. Thermally coupling the thermal energy source and traction battery makes it possible to keep the area surrounding the traction battery and the traction battery itself at a temperature level where the traction battery can be efficiently operated. The waste heat of the thermal energy source may be used directly for heating up the vehicle interior and/or for controlling the temperature of the traction battery. Making direct use of provided waste heat that might arise in the motor vehicle anyway proves to be particularly energy efficient.