The biggest source of cost and weight for an ebike drivetrain is the battery. The 1KW+ ebikes lauded by the author are fun but they are generally heavy and range-limited. These power levels might be necessary for the snow/mud/fat-tired world of the author but IMO are neither necessary nor desirable in the general leisure/commuting use case. Get on a 250w mid-drive or 500w hub-drive. You will have a blast.