My experience was seeing a maybe 250 lbs gentleman using one in the French Ballones (spelling?) mountains. I was just cruising up at a a chill tempo and passed e-bike guy. That guy could enjoy and make it around with that thing, when otherwise he couldn't. I felt good knowing he could share the experience that lovely day.
Someone having a tough day climbing an un-assisted bike might be ascending at only like 4mph. I couldn't in good reason say an e-bike couldn't go on by at 8mph or something because I'm toasted.
What makes is suck is that there will always be the dual nature of e-bikes:
-a world in which they are infinitely util for a user
-a world in which there are always people who relish in achievements for which they did not do any real work
That dual nature means these conversations are always fun.