An apparatus for cooling a high heat-generating vehicle component includes an air compressor assembly operable in a heat-generating mode, in which the air compressor assembly has a relatively low capability to absorb heat energy from a coolant that has passed through a high heat-generating vehicle component. The coolant may be passed through a heat exchanger submerged in an oil reservoir of the air compressor assembly to facilitate the heat exchange. The air compressor assembly can also be operated in a non-heat-generating mode, in which the air compressor assembly has a relatively higher capability to absorb heat energy from the coolant that has passed through the high heat-generating vehicle component.