ISO e-bike with a saddle height of 28" or less and a throttle

[WanderingMonk]

My 4' 10" wife never learned to ride a bike, and has poor knee mobility (she can walk fine, but the pedaling motion is somewhat uncomfortable/difficult). She wants to be able to bike with our daughter and me. I'm hoping that an e-bike with a throttle and a low saddle would allow her to ride it like a self-propelled balance bike, at least to get comfortable with balancing and steering. I haven't been able to find a bike that has a low enough saddle that she would be able to comfortable put her feet down on both sides*.

Some additional confounding factors: we live full-time in an RV, so we have to make at least some considerations for space. I'm fine with getting a "normal" (non-folding) bike, but a trike would be extremely difficult to manage.

So far, the only thing that looks like it might meet these requirements is the Lectric Lite 2.0. Does anyone know of any other options?

* Yes, I know that there are quite a few throttle e-bikes that have a low enough saddle for her to be in the proper biking/pedaling position. But being on tip-toes is not a comfortable position for learning how to balance a bike.

 

[sc00ter]

JackRabbit OG with a extra battery or 2, or go large with the XG. Slam the seat as far down as it will go and coast off into the sunset! I've been considering getting one to replace my heavy and cumbersome XP 3.0. The XP 3.0 is a great ebike but I want something very light and easy to toss in the car, and a JackRabbit will fit that need for me. I don't need a huge range and I don't care about going "fast", 15mph is fine for bumping around on. I also have a Lectric Xpedition and can say the Letric Lite is a great product as well. The new version can be upgraded to belt drive! No dirty chain to get you grubby while riding or loading! Just the battery removal has a learning curve. I leave mine in the frame when I charge it.

 

[indianajo]

Most of the ebikes with 4 sizes of frames, including extra small, are from major producers like trek. They will have no throttle because bikes with throttles cannot be sold in Europe. Liv is a trek brand that is marketed for small women.
With your wife's lack of commitment to the whole bike sport, I would suggest a conversion of a pedal bike. You could buy a used extra small frame from trek, giant, specialized, cannondale, kona. Something made of quality steel & aluminum, with at least disk brakes. Rim brakes are IMHO **** in the rain. When testing the riding position, be aware that bikes are the proper size if one can put both feet on the ground on tiptoes. Too low a crank can lead to pedal strikes on the ground in turns. The leg should be almost straight at the lowest pedaling position.
Having very short legs, I used to buy used discount store bikes, which are made for kids. They did in fact fit me. But - Diamondback & Pacific bikes were ****. The wheels can be too small for the tires to stay on (diamondback), the cables stretch all the time & require constant adjustment, the mystery metal spokes can stretch & get loose. I broke a diamondback axle at my enormous 180 lb weight, and the Pacific axle came unscrewed and dropped the balls on the road. The Pacific the plastic crank arms wore out at 2000 miles and could not be removed to replace them. I recently bought a used Trek 7300 in 16" frame, which could fit your wife. $275. Real metals, great shifter, 24 speeds.
Then buy a power wheel conversion kit and install it. I bought my first one from ebikeling.com in Chicagoland, and was satisfied. Make sure to get the wheel that fits your bike. Install an accessory torque arm, having a axle spin out of the dropouts can ruin your whole purchase. Be sure to buy a kit with a throttle. I found direct drive hubs unsatisfactory. Too slow accelerating, loggy up hills, really comes on at 15-25 mph which is too fast to ride a bicycle most of the time. Geared hub drives are torquey from 0 mph where you need the acceleration to get across the road before the light turns red.
The guy down the street broke both his big toes trying to ride his ebike at 20 mph in the rain. He has been off work 9 months and the surgeon is still not done with his feet. Whoops, wheel slips, fall down, go boom! Keep it to 10 as I do, and ride knobby tires, which don't slip in the rain snow or ice as badly as smooth street tires. Wear good stiff shoes, which in todays lowball market can only be bought from SAS IMHO.

 

[6zfshdb]

I hate to recommend bikes & accessories, since every rider has different requirements. FWIW, my 5'1" wife has many of the same issues as yours. After test riding many bikes, we settled on the Pedego Platinum Interceptor:

Interceptor E-Bike: Platinum Edition | Pedego Electric Bikes

Discover the perfect electric beach cruiser with the platinum edition of Pedego's Interceptor e-bike, offering unique style and a 5-Year warranty.

pedegoelectricbikes.com

Using a low profile saddle such as this one, we were able to keep the seat height just under 27":

Amazon.com

Another important measurement to consider is the seat clamp to crank distance. At 14", we found the Pedego to be near perfect for her short legs to maintain a comfortable cadence. This is one reason why test riding is so important. The more bikes you try, the better!

Service is important no matter what brand you choose. If you do a lot of travelling in your RV, you will appreciate a brand with a nationwide network of dealers.

Welcome to the forum and good luck finding the perfect ride for your bride!