I would never have bought a Van Moof anyway cos I think they're ugly (your aesthetics might vary). But it's another reminder not to tie yourself into something which can only be serviced or repaired by one firm. I have similar feelings about the Pinion gearbox.
See also rohloff...
J
I think Rohloff is slightly different, for two reasons. First, if your Rohloff breaks in a post-Rohloff future, it's a mechanical object and someone can forge, cast, mill, etc, the necessary parts (though possibly at a prohibitive price). Second, more important, you can replace your Rohloff with any other hub gear or possibly derailleurs. Whereas Pinion, and it seems also Van Moof, the whole bike becomes unuseable -- the whole bike, frame and all, is built around that part.
Not quite true - one consideration when I bought mine was that if the worst came to the worst I could get a dummy g'box made with a standard BB housing built into it. Although given that the 'box represents the majority of the frame value, I doubt if I'd bother. In fact, after 8 years' use on an MTB I reckon it's saved me enough in cassettes, derailleurs and (most importantly) time cleaning and maintaining the same, that it doesn't really owe me much. 
Can you tell I'm a fan? 
A dummy gearbox? Clever idea! Though as you say, probably not really worth it.
