Looks like they are trying to switch the hipsters to clipless pedals...
My bet is that those shoes have a stiff sole, with just the soft covering on the bottom, and maybe a ring of EVA around the edge to make it look like normal sneakers. There's no way anybody could/would make a clipless shoe that is a flexy as a sneaker, it just wouldn't work.
That said, the reason I wouldn't wear them is the same as dutret's (dammit!). I had hiking-boot style shoes before, and they were a PITA to get to fit tight with just laces. My current shoes have 3 velcro strips, and I love it.