A testing and validation platform for hybrid fuel cell (FC)-lithium-ion battery (LIB) powertrain systems is investigated. The hybrid FC electric vehicle emulator enables testing of hybrid system components and complete hybrid power modules up to 25kW for application in electric light-duty vehicles, light electric vehicles and so forth. A hybrid system comprising a 10-kW(el) low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane FC stack and an 11.5-kWh LIB pack is installed. The system supplies power to a 20-kW permanent magnet synchronous motor and a 25-kW alternating current asynchronous, electrically programmable dynamometer is used to simulate the vehicle load during testing at dynamic drive cycle. The steady-state performance tests of the direct current (DC) motor, DC/DC converter, low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane FC stack and LIB are performed as well as dynamic tests of the complete hybrid system. The Economic Commission for Europe driving cycle is selected as a reference cycle to validate the investigated hybrid FC-LIB powertrain. An efficiency of 83% and 95% is measured for electric motor and DC/DC converter, respectively. An average stack efficiency of 50% is achieved. An average hydrogen consumption of 3.9 g * km(-1) is reached during the Economic Commission for Europe driving cycle test. Copyright (C) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.