OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing his main rival, Pierre Poilievre, of wanting to scrap tens of billions worth of subsidies in the electric vehicle industry if he forms government, but auto executives say the reality is a bit more complicated.

Whether or not a future Conservative government decides to dump the deals that are so dear to Ontario and Quebec would depend on a variety of factors, including the result of the election south of the border and the nitty gritty details of the existing business deals.