Not that tankless electric is any better in this regard, but the selection of heat pumps has been dwindling precipitously because despite their small cost adder, their economics are still not very compelling. Which seems really unfortunate.

Actually, the whole water heating business seems to be like this. All kinds of way better tech than an old fashioned 82 AFUE open flue tanked, at really minor cost increases, but the cost of water heating in the first place just isn't that terribly high.

In the end the most significant cost savings on my water heater replacement project, turned out to be the space heating savings from closing the old atmospheric vent & combustion air vent.