diesel engine

Ms Brankin said Ford was yet to make any decisions about the future of the plant, which will build diesel engines up until 2030.

"You couldn't tell the difference of a car with a petrol or diesel engine, I would like to say the same about an electric car," he said.

Because drayage trucks concentrate fume-pumping diesel engines in a tight location, the air quality in residential areas adjacent to ports suffers.

In the last decade, several car makers admitted to lying about the emissions produced by their diesel engines.

"Little by little taxing petrol and diesel engine cars more, so they have become a lot more expensive to purchase, whereas electric cars have been exempted from taxes."