Orbea Rise Hydro 2025 or 2024? How much extra would you spend on 2025?

[erider1]

New to e-MTB but with a ton of research to current e-MTB scene, I am trying to make "best bang for for the buck" decision on my first e-MTB.

Looking only for heavy discounts... and considering these choices...
1) 2024 Rise H30
2) 2025 Rise H20 LT
3) 2024 Fuel EX-e 9.5 (carbon)

I expect to be using them in low assistance mode, maybe level 2 out of 3, occasionally 3 I know that is what everyone thinks...

Here is how I see some of the categories of comparison:
Price: Highest --> lowest : 2025 Rise LT H20 --> Trek Fuel Ex-e --> 2024 H30
Weight: lightest first: Trek Fuel Ex-e (is carbon) --> 2024 H30 --> 2025 H20 LT
Battery : 2025 H20 (630) --> 2024 H30 (540) --> Trek (280; and thirsty with TQ motor and very expensive extender battery)
Fun factor: best I think, Trek --> .... rest I do not know...
Motor Power: 2025 H20 --> 2024 H30 --> Trek
Motor reliability: ??
Quietness: Trek --> Orbeas
Craftsmanship and integration: I think Trek takes edge here, nicer display, nice sleek/ small looking motor. But I tend to break Trek carbon frames, perhaps this one is beefier..
Warranty: I think about the same... Is the Hydro frame warranty for Orbea also lifetime when registered?
Battery degradation and cell quality... I think on longevity obviously Orbea has edge due to the higher capacity to start with... (battery cells used...not sure)...
Mainstream components and industry standards: Shimano ep600, integrated headset on Orbea, Trek is always a bit proprietary and also expensive on parts
Parts availability: Trek better for me

* I come from XC race background and lightweight FS carbon builds.
* the plan would be to update the selected bike with carbon wheels, better components, including a better fork: Fox 36 or Pike or Lyrik fork and make it 140mm-150mm XCish emachine at close to 40 lb (might be hard with the Alu Orbea frames). I like to ride flowy stuff and we have lot of rocks and roots where I live.
* often riding to trails to ride them and plan to do this even more with e-MTB

Appreciate feedback on selection between those three bikes, which one seems to be the best deal according to some of the criteria mentioned and other I may have not listed.

If the Trek had 500 Wh + built-in batt., than that would be my choice.
Right now however the strongest candidate is 2025 H20 LT, mostly due to updates on frame, motor and overall and 2nd is the 2024 Rise H30.

 

[Weeksy]

I run a 2024 H30, it's i think the lowest spec at Bomber Z2 forks and everything fairly basic, but i rode BikeParkWales happily yesterday from a run on the blue to the techy reds, it never missed a beat and did everything really really well. I'm not a bling kind of guy though as i see others riding my bike who can do a trail of 2 mins about 30s quicker than me and i know that whatever is holding anything back here, it's not the bike. I've got the EP6RS motor and haven't touched any of the settings/modes, i just turn it on and go.
The only thing i did do was fitting a Hope Pro5 rear wheel as the wheel on the Rise is notoriously bad.

 

[erider1]

I run a 2024 H30, it's i think the lowest spec at Bomber Z2 forks and everything fairly basic, but i rode BikeParkWales happily yesterday from a run on the blue to the techy reds, it never missed a beat and did everything really really well. I'm not a bling kind of guy though as i see others riding my bike who can do a trail of 2 mins about 30s quicker than me and i know that whatever is holding anything back here, it's not the bike. I've got the EP6RS motor and haven't touched any of the settings/modes, i just turn it on and go.
The only thing i did do was fitting a Hope Pro5 rear wheel as the wheel on the Rise is notoriously bad.

Thanks, I appreciate a quick response and sharing your experience. Yaeh the 2024 H30 is the best deal of them all as for $$, just wondering if the 2025 is worth the extra dough.
Also a bit afraid of the very slack headtube at least on the 2025 LT.... my current slackest bike is 2019 Stumpjumper with 66.5 deg HT and the 2025 LT comes at 64,5 deg in high position. I would likely steepen it with a shorter 150 or 140mm fork but still, it would be by far the slackest bike for me. And that is for XC riding as mentioned. Wonder what will it do for climbing efficiency and posture with that original 160mm fork.

I ride 100% XC, undulating terrain with semi-technical features, rocks, roots and shorter punchy ups and downs. We also have longer, persistent hills to which I drive time from time. But no bike parks at all, and also no crazy jumps. I am a boring XC racer.