A significant percentage of polluting gases comes from the conventional use of fossil fuels as energy source in transport. Electric hybridization of vehicles stands as an intermediate step between fossil fuels and fully electric alternatives. In the development of this market, the implementation of adequate control strategies to handle properly both sources of energy is of paramount importance. Suitable control strategies for hybrid electric powertrains achieve system reliability while addressing the issue of how both energy sources must be properly used in order to reach energy efficiency and increase autonomy. In the present paper, the design and manufacturing of a mechatronic hybrid powertrain bench for testing and validating control strategies for hybrid electric powertrains in parallel configuration is presented. Furthermore, the mechatronic test bench dynamics is experimentally identified and model-based and data-driven controllers are proposed.