We just bought my wife an Electra ebike, stepthrough frame with mid-drive motor. We bought it specifically so she could go on bike rides with me and not huff and puff on the hills. (I'm cool with huff and puff...) We have had her bike up several 8-12% hills, and it goes up with no issues.

When we went shopping for the bike, he LBS guy said that hub motors have a more noticeable and always present drag, not so much an issue with the mid-drive. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that you have a LOT of rotating weight with the hub motor.

My wife's electra rides just like a normal bike then the motor is off, only heavier.