OK, to address the topic: What does the E assist bicycle bring to touring? The answer: Bloated Weight, Complexity, a good deal of EXPENSE, range limits, and, oh yes, you don't have to pedal as hard for very brief periods. I would never dream of touring on one myself, and like some others I find them a tasteless exercise in engineering suitable for only a very few individuals. As for the argument that it will open up touring for people who are physically limited, I would be very suprised to see anyone ever touring on one here in the western U.S. LIke my friend said when gasoline went to $4 a gallon, "People who want to ride bikes are already riding them, when gas goes to $8 a gallon people will just stay home."
Some of you will cite statistics of sales growth, I wonder how many people on E bikes ride them for a number of years, wear them out, keep them well serviced, etc., basically use them as an avid cyclist uses their bicycle? For quick and lightly laiden trips around town they might make sense, but for myself I would just get a small motorcycle or scooter.