I did a quick search and this seemed like the most recent thread. I hope that OP doesn't mind me talking about normal e-bikes, but I am sure that he is a swell guy.
I remember someone sharing that an electric bike is legally limited to 20 MPH with a 170-pound rider and I asked "What if you are bigger than that?" and went on a tangent about being overweight.
I cannot find that thread now.
I started mentioning this to someone, but I do not think I finished. She asked if I wanted an electric bike and my thought was "Couldn't I buy a Civic and get 50 MPG in it for that price?" I spent about as much on my Gary Fisher as on my Accord. The bike gets better than 35 MPG, plus free exercise, but what is a reasonable cycling radius? Five miles?
I feel like people drive better up here than in Phoenix, but there are tons of pickups and SUVs, and there are zero bike lanes. I regularly have people making left turns right in front of my car, so I shudder to think of riding a bike, but isn't that the fun?
I did a search for "best electric bike" and didn't get past the ads. Walmart has one for $600 that is supposed to have a range of twenty miles. Walmart is 5.6 miles away. Home Depot is just past it and Lowe's is across from Home Depot. I never have errands further than that.
Google says that I can drive to Walmart in 12 minutes, but it would take 30 minutes pedaling. It estimates about 12 MPH on level ground. It would take 17.6 minutes at 20 MPH, but I wonder how long it would take with lights and my 230+-pound weight.
I am always trying to hurry, but an extra ten minutes per trip does not seem like a big deal, although I do not know how often I run errands. If I go to Walmart, Home Depot, or Lowe's twice a week that is 560 miles a year.
It would cost me more than a dollar per mile for the first year, plus tax and electricity.
What is the ROI?