To your point (kind of), I have used a short Z2 workout to introduce more volume. The idea being that a few weeks down the road that’s not going to be a 1hr long ride. I mean, if you want to get from 8hr to 10hrs (for example), the best way to introduce that is a bit more Z2, but it corresponds to a adjustment in intensity elsewhere in the week (often).
Now, having said that, I think it’s a shame that a bunch of ppl in cycling think that in order to get benefit from Z2 you need to do it for a minimum of 2.5hrs. I’m just a guy on the internet, but that’s just flat out wrong. Aerobic adaptations occur with as little as 30-45mins of activity. Not as strong as >2.5hrs, granted. And not as strong as aerobic work with a bit more intensity, perhaps. But not zero either.