Abstract: For the characteristics research of upward lightning leader in the laboratory, new type of impulse voltage generator is urgently needed for the equivalent simulation of electric field in temporal characteristics. Focusing on the key technical problem of generator’s development, the topology of generator was presented in the first, which was based on the technical requirements for the generator and had the feature of multi-stage circuits connected in series with the cell circuit of controllable capacitor charging as core, and the characteristics of cell circuit as well as major application problems of the topology were analyzed. Then taking 1.3 MV generator as a typical example, scheme of concrete parameter configuration was provided, rationality of which was verified on the basis of performance analysis. Furthermore the layout design of generator was proposed to realize multi-stage circuits connected in series physically, feasibility of which was testified by means of developing prototype generator as well as performance experiment, and the realization problem of generator was solved in this way. This paper will provide theoretical guidance and practical basis to the realization of new impulse voltage generator for the simulation experiment of upward lightning leader in the final.