I wasn't quite sure how I felt (other than being aware of some snobbery that I knew was kind of inappropriate) until reading some of the comments here.

Now, I know what I think.

An "e-bike" is only marginally "greener" than a 50cc scooter, if at all, considering the much larger battery and the carbon cost of recharging it. A quality scooter will cost more - especially one with a catalytic converter - but a cheap Chinese scooter will price out around the same as an e-bike or an add-on electric assist. Speed and road limitations are about the same. A scooter is heavier, obviously, but that'll help it feel more planted on the road, and no one is really going to want to push either a scooter or an e-bike for any distance - particularly someone who doesn't have the physical capability to ride a bike unassisted. And, if you should run out of juice on the road, it's a lot easier and quicker to get to a gas station than to recharge a battery.

If someone's just looking for practical two-wheeled transport, most scooters offer lockable compartments, and aftermarket hard luggage is available for probably all scooters, which is the #1 factor that makes a bicycle impractical.

If someone chooses an "e-bike" over a scooter, I have serious concerns about their attitude towards safety. Do they feel they can ride an e-bike, but not a scooter, without paying attention to traffic? On the sidewalk? Without a helmet? Without good motor control? Without good leg strength to support the bike at a stop? None of the above are true.