As a scientist, perhaps you
As a scientist, perhaps you just need to consider changing your target variable. Making the calculation entirely about $ is shortsighted and, frankly, a bit selfish. Necessary, perhaps, but selfish nonetheless. It ignores the "cost" to your family, your neighbours, your community... your planet... to continue burning fossil fuels.
Of course, consumption isn't the only part of the equation. And if you are truly comparing a new BEV/PHEV to a 16 year old relatively fuel-efficient ICE, then you may very well be ahead of the game environmentally-speaking by continuing to drive that old gal. I'm sure over-production and over-consumption are bigger environmental detriments than fuel-burning. But that is a wholistic calculation of carbon, not dollars.
I'm not saying people can't consider their budget. If that's a constraint, then that's a constraint. But for those that can afford to switch and are considering their next ICE then they shouldn't be looking only at the dollar figures.
Now, for those that ARE intent on looking at $ only, I emplore them to at least look at the WHOLE picture! The one factor that is so rarely considered and almost never written about, is longevity. An ICE is likely to start increasing in maintenance costs (or die completely) by around 120,000/200,000 miles/kms. Getting them to last over 200,000/320,000 miles/kms is a rarity that would have required some pretty meticulous maintenance. But a BEV should last half a million to a million or more with nearly no maintenance. Is there data to back that up? Well, increasingly so, yes but the reality is they haven't been around long enough to know for sure. I'm confident I'm getting at least 2 cars' lives out of my EVs. That makes a $50,000 BEV equivalent to a $25,000 ICE and that's before fuel and maintenance savings that everyone wants to look at exclusively.
Used is universally better than new for cars, right? That's always been the prudent thinking. And eventually that will be true again (maybe even already). I would really hesitate buying a used PHEV right now. You're getting older tech and a used and probably poorly maintained ICE engine. A used BEV is probably a better bet. Or stick with your '98 Acura because it sounds like she's served you well.
Good luck.