Schneider Evopact HVX Medium Voltage Vacuum Breaker

The Evopact HVX medium voltage vacuum breaker is a digital-ready vacuum circuit breaker (VCB) range built for medium-voltage air-insulated switchgear, designed to protect primary power distribution equipment and connected loads while providing IoT-enabled condition monitoring for improved uptime. This article covers the Evopact HVX range structure, digital connectivity tiers, key ratings, selection criteria, applications and relevant standards for buyers evaluating this breaker for new switchgear or retrofit projects across the Middle East and Gulf (including Egypt and Saudi Arabia), North Africa, CIS, and Sub-Saharan Africa markets.

What Is the Evopact HVX Circuit Breaker?

Evopact HVX is a range of vacuum circuit breakers addressing medium-voltage networks up to 24 kV, with short-circuit breaking capacities up to 40 kA and rated currents ranging from 630 A to 4000 A. It is engineered for installation inside medium-voltage switchgear to connect primary power distribution consumers to the grid, protecting both people and equipment. Unlike a conventional vacuum breaker, the HVX platform is built around embedded sensors, so the breaker itself can report on its own mechanical and electrical health rather than relying solely on periodic manual inspection.

The breaker draws on more than 45 years of Schneider Electric’s medium-voltage engineering experience and is manufactured using best-in-class internal components intended to extend operational life beyond conventional MV breakers.

Range Structure and Digital Connectivity Tiers

A defining feature of Evopact HVX is its scalable digital architecture, offered in three connectivity tiers so a buyer can start with a base breaker and add monitoring capability as facility needs grow:

• EvoPacT HVX – the base digital circuit breaker with future-ready compatibility and fast access to documentation via a QR-code-linked Digital Logbook.
• EvoPacT HVX Active – adds 24/7 condition monitoring using scalable health sensors, starting from essential thermal monitoring, to help react faster to potential faults.
• EvoPacT HVX Active Plus – a comprehensive sensor suite monitoring the complete breaker health, including operating coils, vacuum interrupters, motors and mechanisms.

This tiered approach means the same mechanical breaker platform can be specified as a simple, non-communicating unit or as a fully instrumented digital asset, and upgrades between tiers are designed to be a smooth process once the facility is ready.

Embedded Monitoring Devices

The Evopact HVX digital ecosystem is built from individual monitoring modules that can be combined depending on the selected tier:

Access to breaker documentation and support is simplified through a QR-code-linked Digital Logbook, giving field technicians instant access to manuals and service history on a mobile device.

Key Technical Data

Note: the associated SMX modular switchgear platform referenced alongside HVX in the manufacturer catalog covers air-insulated switchgear applications up to 36 kV, but the HVX vacuum circuit breaker itself is specified for networks up to 24 kV.

Longer Service Life and Endurance

Evopact HVX is presented as proven to last considerably longer than the industry standard for MV circuit breakers, with the manufacturer stating the breaker is built to withstand up to 50,000 mechanical and electrical operations at normal rated current. This endurance figure varies by rated voltage class: 50,000 operations for the 12/17.5 kV class and 30,000 operations for the 24 kV class. Combined with EcoCare condition-based maintenance, the manufacturer notes this endurance can be further extended through predictive, health-driven servicing rather than fixed calendar intervals.

Selection Criteria for Buyers

When specifying an Evopact HVX medium voltage vacuum breaker for a switchgear project, buyers should evaluate:

• Rated voltage and short-circuit duty — confirm the network’s nominal voltage falls within the breaker’s range up to 24 kV and that the rated short-circuit breaking current (up to 40 kA) matches the site’s fault-level study.
• Rated current — select from the 630 A to 4000 A range according to feeder or incomer load requirements.
• Digital tier — decide whether a base breaker, Active (thermal monitoring), or Active Plus (full sensor suite covering interrupters, coils, motors and mechanism) best fits the facility’s maintenance strategy and OT/IT integration plans.
• Endurance class — for high-cycling applications (frequent switching duty), check the applicable mechanical/electrical operations rating for the specific voltage class.
• Service model — evaluate whether an EcoCare membership tier (Essential, Advanced, Advanced+) is available in-region to support remote monitoring, SLA-based intervention, and extended warranty.
• Sustainability requirements — where Green Premium or Cradle to Cradle certification is a procurement requirement, HVX is positioned to meet these criteria.
• Retrofit vs. new build — for aging switchgear, consider EcoFit modernization paths (upgrade to connected assets, retrofit active components, or full replacement) instead of a like-for-like breaker swap.

Applications

Evopact HVX is designed for installation inside medium-voltage switchgear to connect primary power distribution consumers to the grid, and is positioned across several end-user segments:

• Electro-intensive applications — Mining, Minerals and Metals (MMM); Oil and Gas (O&G); Water and wastewater.
• Critical sites — Data centers (co-location and cloud); hospitals.
• Transportation — Airports; railways.
• Commercial buildings — Shopping malls; large office buildings; high-rise condominiums.
• Industrial buildings and infrastructure — Manufacturing facilities; large warehouses.

For these sectors, the breaker’s condition-based monitoring is intended to reduce unplanned downtime risk and support predictive maintenance planning rather than fixed-interval servicing.

Digital Services and Lifecycle Support

Beyond the breaker hardware, the Evopact HVX ecosystem is supported by a services layer:

• EcoCare membership — a three-tiered service plan (Essential, Advanced, Advanced+) offering 24/7 remote monitoring, alarm management, priority expert access and extended warranty options. The manufacturer states this approach can reduce electrical failure risk and unplanned downtime by up to 75%, and reduce on-site maintenance activities and planned downtime costs by up to 40%.
• EcoFit modernization — life-extension and replacement services claimed to extend asset life by up to 25% and, for retrofit of active components, avoid up to 90% of waste versus full replacement.
• EcoConsult — audit, digital twin, system studies and design consultancy services to support asset management strategy.

Standards and Sustainability

Evopact HVX is stated to be tested against major international standards, including IEC, ANSI/IEEE and GB/T frameworks relevant to medium-voltage circuit breakers. On sustainability, the range holds Green Premium and Cradle to Cradle certification, and the manufacturer emphasizes that switching is achieved solely through air-based (vacuum) interruption technology rather than SF6 or other gas-insulated methods. No specific IEC standard number for the breaker itself is specified in the manufacturer catalog beyond this general compliance statement, so buyers should request project-specific type-test certificates confirming applicable IEC ratings for their exact voltage and current class.

Related guides

See also our guides on gas-insulated switchgear, ring main units and metal-clad switchgear.