Everything we know about the giant car‑free Chinese city being built as the urban playground of the future

The car‑free Chinese city, named Net City, backed by tech giant Tencent, sounds like a utopia straight out of science fiction.

The ambitious project promised to rethink how cities work from the ground up.

Instead of roads packed with cars, it would prioritize people, green space, and smart technology.

Now in 2026, it’s still evolving, but the vision remains just as bold.

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Construction of the Chinese city began in 2020

Planned for Shenzhen’s Dachan Bay, Net City was designed as a massive mixed-use district roughly the size of Midtown Manhattan.

Tencent envisioned it as a fully integrated live-work-play ecosystem, combining offices, homes, schools, parks, and retail into one seamless environment.

A multinational conglomerate having its own giant headquarters isn’t uncommon, but what really sets it apart is its car-free philosophy.

Instead of prioritizing roads, the master plan focuses on walking, cycling, ferries, and public transit, with green corridors, wetlands, and public spaces woven throughout

The idea was simple: design a city around people, not vehicles.

Add in AI systems, environmental sensors, and smart infrastructure, and Net City quickly became one of the most ambitious ‘future city’ concepts anywhere in the world.

Fast forward to 2026, and the reality is a little more grounded.

Construction began in the early 2020s, and parts of the development have now entered phased rollout.

Early zones tied to Tencent’s headquarters, including residential towers and office spaces, were moving toward completion by late 2025, with trial operations already underway.

However, the full vision remains far from finished, with much of the broader district still in development.

Net City isn’t the only futuristic city concept

Around the world, cities are experimenting with similar ideas.

Barcelona’s ‘superblocks’ have already reduced car traffic in certain neighborhoods, prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists.

Even in Europe, urban planners are increasingly redesigning city centers to limit vehicles and reclaim space for people.

For now, Net City sits somewhere between concept and reality.

It’s not yet the fully realized car-free paradise it promised to be, but with Chinese tech giant Tencent’s backing, it’s likely to materialize at some point.

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