Speculation runs wild about the direction Ford will take with the next-generation Mustang.

Largely responsible for that is the automaker itself, given the decision to name its electric crossover the Mustang Mach-E. This could be a clue that the pony car will eventually become all-electric, though for the next-generation model Ford will take the intermediary step of making it a hybrid.

Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess what the Mustang will become and chances are Ford doesn’t know for sure either. Maybe that’s why the carmaker has approached the College For Creative Studies in Detroit with a studio project to expand the Mustang “brandwidth”.

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As part of the Ford-sponsored project, students were asked to dream up electric Mustang concepts for 2030-2035, when the nameplate could evolve into a performance sub-brand for electric vehicles.

One interesting proposal came from Tianze Yu, who envisioned a zero-emission Mustang shooting brake. “I decided to follow a more conservative approach towards what seemed appropriately sporty, but at the same time, maintaining a classy, mature outcome,” Tianze told CarScoops.

His reasoning is that an electric shooting brake would attract a new audience “who would not otherwise consider owning a Mustang.” In order to make it recognizable as a Mustang, Tianze gave it the iconic tri-bar taillights, which he says are one of his “favorite classic elements on the Mustang.”

Mind you, not much else reminds of the pony car bar the illuminated Mustang emblem. “The overall form language, on the other hand, is more similar to that of the Mach-E, which allows for softer surfaces and more subtle transitions,” Tianze explains.

So, what do you think: would there be room for an all-electric Mustang shooting brake in the future? From where we stand, it would be a far less controversial move than slapping the Mustang badge on a crossover, especially since we’re dealing with a proper two-door shooting brake and not a pretend model.

Rendering credits: Tianze Yu