A vacuum interrupter is disclosed with a fixed contact and a movable contact placed axially in a spaced apart relationship. The ceramic insulator cylinders each surround the fixed contact and the movable contact. A floating shield within the ceramic cylinders has a floating potential flange disposed between the two ceramic cylinders, and exposed to external ambient. Encapsulation for at least one contact terminal extends from a metallic end cap of the corresponding contacts to cover a respective ceramic cylinder by an overlapping distance.