The Metacycle specs are fine for what I it would be used for. I don't expect regen at that price. Some of the places I have to park, anything expensive is going to disappear. As for acceleration, normally at rush hour I'd be glad to get to 60 mph on my commute let alone do it as quickly as 10-11 seconds. I have a lot of slow 30 mph roads I have to deal with and then I get on a highway that is bumper to bumper for miles.
While the speed limit can be as high as 70 mph, I have never seen over 55 mph on my commute at rush hour unless I nail the throttle when hitting the off ramp. Perfect environment for something like the Metacycle. I wouldn't remotely compare it to something like the LW but against some of bargain basement Zeros, it can be a compelling alternative. While the Zeros may be "better", I am paying for features that don't really make a difference in my use of the vehicle. I had a good idea of what I was getting. I had a few Sondors bicycles and they've been pretty much bullet proof. A faster electric bicycle, with better range, that I could take on highways was basically all I needed and wanted. I already had a CSC City Slicker and it was fun but capped at 45 mph. Not really useful, but fun.
Which is basically why I didn't buy an Energica instead of a Livewire. They are quicker/faster, better handling, more range, etc. I don't really need all that and I'd pay a premium for it and have a dealer much farther away. I ended up with a bike that is very good for my planned usage of it. Same applies to the Metacycle. When it was announced, there was nothing like it in the market at that price point. Just like when the LW came out, no real competition. A lot can happen in a few years.