I see a lot of deliverymen around here with beefy e-bikes who never pedal. The question of whether you can pedal seems academic if you never do. These e-bikes I'm talking about are functionally identical to electric mopeds (same power and speed capabilities); they just have pedals that go unused instead of a footrest.

The law recognizes this too, which is why e-bikes are primarily regulated by power output or top speed.