That picture is precisely what I had in mind.

I would imagine that achieving a low weight whilst also being sufficiently durable and cheap would be somewhat difficult, although I acknowledge that many riders are as tough on their bikes as an infantryman would be.

Where I can foresee a practical use for an electric bike is in small unit reconnaissance, as a quieter alternative to motorbikes and possibly even ATVs. I understand that one US unit has evaluated electric Polaris ATVs in a similar role.