I bought the wally world cruiser/staton friction drive as a 'proof of concept' anyway. I fully planned on upgrading after I got some miles on the current rig, and got to know more what I needed (and wanted) in a long-term rig.
Right now, I'm seriously considering a
Dekra shaft drive bike - either the
Comfort Bike, or the
Urban Voyager Comfort Bike.
I know that a shaft drive is a
bit less efficient than a chain, but, when combined with an internal shifter hub, it's just about maintenance free, and, with a motor, the peddling efficiency isn't
nearly as important as it is when you've ONLY got peddles available.
And, since I'll probably be moving to a wetter climate in the future, I'm looking at a change from the friction drive to a chain drive, also.