The fleet of Th!nk electric vehicles scheduled to be destroyed by Ford in the US, as reported last week, has won a reprieve as the motor giant agreed to reconsider its plans for the time being. The unexpected development followed strong pressure from environmentalist and human rights activists, both in the US and Europe, over the planned destruction. A letter from leading NGOs Global Exchange, Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and Greenpeace urged Ford CEO Bill Ford Jr to live up to the company’s green image by revising the Th!nk programme and reviewing model emissions.

“Remember that Ford has long been a symbol of American innovation. Your great grandfather Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line, and you can do the same for fossil-fuel free vehicles,” read part of the letter.