Pocket-lint daily - EV grants, drone delivery, and more

Good morning! By Stuart Miles | Wednesday June 15 2022 Good morning! - If you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? Get them to [sign up here.]( UK Government axes the Plug-In Car Grant Pocket-lint What's happened? The Department for Transport has [announced]( that the UK Government's Plug-In Car Grant scheme has now ended, closing the small grant that was available to help people buy electric cars. Why does it matter? The change needs to be set in the context of the current car market. When the scheme started there were few options for electric cars and fewer options for charging: now there are wide-ranging options for electric car buyers, a growing infrastructure, as well as the looming 2030 date when the sale of new combustion cars will be banned. What's my take? I think it is a good sign that EV adoption in the UK has grown to a point where the government doesn't need to offer a cash incentive to persuade people to buy electric, although I am sure others will say that they are pulling the rug from underneath the industry just as it's about to get started. If you took advantage of the grant (like I did) then you can forever class yourself as an early adopter and trendsetter, and sit comfortable until the point when the government will determine there are too many EVs on the road and start charging us for the privilege. Amazon is finally ready to make drone deliveries Amazon What's happened? After years of talk, Amazon is [ready]( to take flight later this year - but only in Lockeford, California, for now. Why does it matter? Of course, one of the main concerns with any kind of drone delivery is safety; Amazon says it has created "a sophisticated and industry-leading sense-and-avoid system that will enable operations without visual observers and allow our drone to operate at greater distances while safely and reliably avoiding other aircraft, people, pets, and obstacles." What's my take? Fly my pretties, fly. A MESSAGE FROM SPONSOR Aergiatech P1114: Charging four Apple devices simultaneously has never been easier Aergiatech The Aergiatech P1114 is the world’s first 4-port 140W wall charger with PD3.1 and GaN. [Find out more](. Toyota bZ4X review: Worth the wait Pocket-lint What's happened? While Toyota is rightly credited with being one of the big drivers behind [hybrid vehicles]( - the Prius very much starting that trend over 25 years ago - the company has been rather slow to embrace the battery electric vehicle until now. Our quick verdict The Toyota bZ4X has been a long time coming, and, on arrival, we have a great-looking car that is well appointed for families and those looking for a practical electric SUV. It's comfortable and drives well, with a decent battery size providing the range to ensure that Toyota can rival other electric SUVs in this segment. With some offroading skills (on the AWD version), it might even go a little further than some of those other models. There's plenty to get excited about in a car that looks great, but while the interior is modern and comfortable, the quality of materials isn't quite up there with the best. [Read our review.]( In Case You Missed it Capcom Showcase June 2022: [How to watch]( all the announcements. --- Rune Labs' Apple Watch [Parkinson's disease tracking]( given FDA clearance. --- Beats' Studio Buds have been [reduced by $30 to $119.95]( (was $149.95). That's a nice 20% saving on the black, white, red and gray models of these earbuds with the H1 chip, ANC and eight hours of battery life. From The Gear Loop Strava Strava hits the trails with new gravel ride, mountain bike and trail run recommendations. [Read more.]( And finally... Plastelina SK 27 ways military tech changed our lives. [Check out our gallery of top hits.]( Have you checked out our weekly podcast that comes out every Friday? It's packed with news, interviews, and top things to get. You can subscribe to the Pocket-lint Podcast via [iTunes]( and [Spotify]( or access it on the web via [Acast](. This week, we take a look at all the big announcements from Apple's developer conference, WWDC, as well as preview the MacBook Air. [Listen to the new episode today.]( Thanks for reading , if you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? Get them to [sign up here.]( [The Trust Project][Why you can trust Pocket-lint]( Copyright © 2022 Pocket-lint, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website Our mailing address is: Pocket-lint PO Box 4770Ascot, Berkshire SL5 5DP United Kingdom [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](