Patent ID: 8608521

Claim:
A hybrid propulsion system for a marine vessel comprising: a marine propulsor that propels a marine vessel; an internal combustion engine that selectively powers the marine propulsor; an electric motor that selectively powers the marine propulsor, wherein the electric motor receives power from a battery; a control circuit that controls operation of the system according to a plurality of modes comprising an electric mode wherein the electric motor powers the marine propulsor and a hybrid mode wherein the internal combustion engine powers the marine propulsor and provides power for recharging the battery; and a user input device that inputs to the control circuit an operator-desired future performance capability of the system; wherein the control circuit selects and executes modes of the plurality of modes so as to provide the operator-desired future performance capability, wherein the operator-desired future performance capability comprises a future state of charge of the battery that is input by a user to the system via the user input device.