Ask AI: Can thermal power provide electric vehicles with unlimited mileage?

In theory, thermal power could theoretically provide electric vehicles with unlimited range - if the technology to convert that thermal power to electricity efficiently, store it, and use it as needed were fully developed and integrated into a vehicle. Possible sources of such thermal power could be the ambient temperature, the heat produced by the car itself, or even solar power. However, in practice, this concept is fraught with challenges. Existing technology may not be able to harvest enough thermal power or convert it to electricity efficiently enough to power a vehicle indefinitely. Additionally, thermal energy storage systems that would be small and light enough to fit in a vehicle without sacrificing performance are yet to be invented. Thermal power also has lower energy density compared to conventional fuels or even electric batteries. This means you'd need a lot of heat and a very efficient gathering and storage system to get usable energy. This makes the concept rather impractical with current technology. Therefore, although thermal power could theoretically contribute to the operation of an electric vehicle, it's highly unlikely that it could provide unlimited mileage given the current state of technology.