If the NYC transportation planners expect bikeshare bikes to work for commuters, the bikes have to be well charged, available when needed, and in good repair. They have to be as reliable as city buses, and trains. AND, there have to be safe places to ride them--excellent cycling infrastructure.
I think a program could fail because of the lack of any part of this equation, so I hope that if things don't go well it isn't blamed on ebikes, because an ebike in good repair that has a charged battery is a wonderful thing! But, there are certainly places I won't go on my ebike because of the lack of a safe route.