Th problem is that the market is driven by consumer demand for bigger batteries, and thats why weights are going up. The majority of people looking for any bike want the biggest range possible - the actual amount of us who buy a full fat bike based of its weight over range is not enough to justify in terms of sales.
I would say that the previous generation Whyte's were some of the best handling EMTB's I have ever tried, and the design makes them ride a lot lighter than you would think.
The only thing that put me off buying one before was the fact that the battery wasn't designed to be easily removable, but they seem to have sorted that now.
I really only was a ble to compare the E180RS with my 2019 Levo Comp. I had upgraded the suspension on the Levo to 160mm Lyric Ultimate and Fox DPS shock...even so probably not a fair comparison in terms of capability and the E180 just eats up really gnarly fast descents with no drama, whereas typically my eyes would be out on stalks with the Levo on the same descent.
But regardless of trail conditions there were a couple of things that really stood out as being different/better. Its something my son noticed straight away as well when he tried the E180.
Firstly the suspension set up is a like a magic carpet ride........OK its 180/170 and Fox factory front and back so maybe not susprising, but all that traction and compliance still gave tons of mid stroke support.
Secondly, the E180 requires far less effort to "right" the bike after leaning it over, and to swop from left to right on a twisty trail compared to the Levo which was much more top heavy. The low and centred COG of the E180 is really its defining feature and it makes a huge difference in the handling to the extent the overall weight of the bike is really not signficant.
The battery issue was a non issue for me. I only remove the battery a few times a year and whilst it is not as quick and convenient as a front or side downtube loader I had no problems removing or replacing the battery in a couple minutes with the bike upside down on its bars and using a DIY extraction tool ( plug socket screws and a piece of webbing). For me, the advantages in terms of battery and electrics protection and the absence of keys and locks, far outweighed some minor inconvenience.
I have yet to see exactly what they have changed in that respect on the new models but I believe the electrical connector for the battery is now at the top of the downtube. The battery itself is removed without tools albeit the motor bash guard needs removing first...which is a single T25.
but in the current world it is what it is.
