Charging times for the Vauxhall Ampera have already been reduced by up to two hours thanks to a new agreement between the company and British Gas.

The British Gas Home Charging solution comprises a fast-charge kit, installation of a home charge point, three years' warranty on parts and labour and three years' Home Electrical Care for the whole house.

Customers will initially benefit from a free home electrical survey to establish the `electrical health' of the house. From it, specially trained engineers from British Gas will be able to recommend the best places to locate a charge point and whether or not the house could use a dedicated electrical circuit for it.

The home charging solution allows the car to draw 16 amps of current as opposed to the six or 10 normally available in houses. It cuts the total recharge time for the Ampera from six to four hours.

"Our new partnership with British Gas will provide a major benefit to all Ampera customers," said Duncan Aldred, Vauxhall's Chairman and Managing Director.

"We can now guarantee that new owners are assured of the very best advice about safe and efficient charging completely free of charge. It also complements our existing Ampera Customer Charter by offering customers a bespoke service, allowing them to get the very best from their car."

Dan Taylor, Director of New Ventures at British Gas said, "Partnering with Vauxhall on powering their electric cars is a very exciting driver of growth for British Gas as electric cars move into the mainstream. With our network of engineers, we can help make buying an electric car accessible and convenient through specialist advice and the installation of charging points."

The British Gas Home Charging solution will cost from £799, with discounts potentially available for people living in certain areas targeted to become the government's `Plugged-in Places'.