<p>Volkswagen is bringing forward the development of a small electric car for the mass market in anticipation of tougher climate regulations, according to plans seen by Reuters, as it seeks to boost sales in a new green era.</p>.<p>Under the project dubbed "Small BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)", engineers are racing to develop a purely-battery powered car around the size of a Polo which will be available for between 20,000 and 25,000 euros ($24,000-30,000).</p>.<p>This would make it cheaper than Volkswagen's ID.3 electric car, which went on sale in September.</p>.<p>Volkswagen did not provide details on what the vehicle might look like, when it might be launched or where it might be built.</p>.<p>The carmaker has said the European Union's more stringent emissions targets will force it to boost the proportion of hybrid and electric vehicles in its European car sales to 60% by 2030, up from a previous target of 40%.</p>.<p>Earlier this month, it raised its planned investment on digital and electric vehicle technologies to 73 billion euros ($86 billion) over the next five years, of which around 35 billion will be invested in e-mobility.</p>.<p>The VW brand currently plans to build 1.5 million electric cars by 2025.</p>.<p>($1 = 0.8386 euros)</p>
<p>Volkswagen is bringing forward the development of a small electric car for the mass market in anticipation of tougher climate regulations, according to plans seen by Reuters, as it seeks to boost sales in a new green era.</p>.<p>Under the project dubbed "Small BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)", engineers are racing to develop a purely-battery powered car around the size of a Polo which will be available for between 20,000 and 25,000 euros ($24,000-30,000).</p>.<p>This would make it cheaper than Volkswagen's ID.3 electric car, which went on sale in September.</p>.<p>Volkswagen did not provide details on what the vehicle might look like, when it might be launched or where it might be built.</p>.<p>The carmaker has said the European Union's more stringent emissions targets will force it to boost the proportion of hybrid and electric vehicles in its European car sales to 60% by 2030, up from a previous target of 40%.</p>.<p>Earlier this month, it raised its planned investment on digital and electric vehicle technologies to 73 billion euros ($86 billion) over the next five years, of which around 35 billion will be invested in e-mobility.</p>.<p>The VW brand currently plans to build 1.5 million electric cars by 2025.</p>.<p>($1 = 0.8386 euros)</p>