The biggest reason is minimizing unsprung mass, the performance of the rear suspension would be much worse with a hub motor.
like technically, sure, it's obviously true. but for performance it only really matters when you would get air time with higher mass, and the lower mass stays in contact more. commuter e-biking generally doesn't get anywhere near those speeds or bump-sizes. (trail biking: sure! I 100% believe it's a sizable consideration there)
Also to note, they are very much marketing it as a trail bike in addition to a commuter so it's not surprising they would spend a bit to optimize for ride quality and traction.