Interesting bike; for commuting, the 700 is unfortunately still the better bet. No rack, no fenders, <9 speeds but $200 more.
I don't mind paying extra for a torque sensor, the problem is you have a brand wanting to hit a price target so the sensor necessarily comes at the expense of something else. Which in this case, is a rack, fenders and maybe a better groupset.
I gather there's a problem with doing 9-10 speeds?
They also updated their entry level roadster model.
Simple, clean, and efficient, this entry-level eBike is built with components suitable to replace your car and speeds of 15mph
ride1up.com