SAN FRANCISCO, July 2 (Reuters) - Rivian denied

a media report on Tuesday that said the U.S. electric vehicle

company was in early talks with Volkswagen to extend

their partnership beyond a recently announced software joint

venture.

Handelsblatt reported, citing people familiar with the

matter, that an extended partnership might include producing the

Rivian smaller and less expensive R2 SUV at VW's South Carolina

plant, which is currently being built and where it so far plans

to produce Scout-branded SUVs and pickups from 2026.

Rivian said it had not changed its plans to start producing

the R2 at its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois,

followed by production at a planned Georgia plant.

"There are no plans for production of vehicles with

Volkswagen Group," a Rivian spokesperson said in an email to

Reuters.

(Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco)