I admit to having one of these as well. It is a 1999 model. I love road bikes but this ebike is a great thing to have as a complement to C&V bikes. It has great ligthing. I use it more in the winter for the lighting than the power. I will also climb steep grades and can go on trails.
They are very heavy (65lbs) with batteries. If you don't use the power you get a good workout riding them.
A great idea, developed for in the wrong time (cheap gas then) and for the wrong population (US).
Ebikes are fastest growing segment in India and China where distances are not so long.
Tehcnologically, their weekness was the battery chemistry. In 1999 the only chemistry that was cost effective was lead acid. Today we have increasing more opions with Li-Ion as a very promising alternative.
Though about commuting with it, but with LA roads and traffic its equivalent to committing suicide.