I think the reality is that most people never really wanted to pedal to start with.
Some folks on eBikes were riding regular bikes because there was no better alternative. They did’t WANT to pedal, they just had to.
Some folks on eBikes never rode normal bike much at all… Because they don’t like pedaling.
The overwhelming majority of eBikes I see are in urban settings and used for commuting/utility/transportation rather than fitness.