LA man spent day in Michigan's private city where all the gas is free and cars don't have license plates and was left stunned with what he saw
Published on Jul 10, 2026 at 12:07 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jul 10, 2026 at 12:07 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This LA man was left shocked when he spent a day in a private city in Michigan where gas is free and cars don’t need license plates.
It sounds like a bit of a free-for-all space, doesn’t it?
This ‘city’ is owned by a huge company, and on paper, it sounds like the ideal place to live if you love your cars.
There’s just one catch – you can’t actually move there.
Believe it or not, this ‘city’ in Michigan has a counterpart in Italy
To give you an idea of how this ‘city’ works, let’s look at the nearest thing – Ferrari’s 1.3-mile e-vortex track out in Italy, named Fiorano.
On the face of it, it sounds like comparing apples and oranges.
But with the company now building more facilities around Fiorano, it’s fast on its way to looking like a town.
It’s almost a natural evolution when you think about it.
If you have a certain number of workers at a facility, it follows that they’ll need a place to stay.
And then from there, they’ll need a place to eat, a place of worship, somewhere to shop.
Before you know it, you’ve got an unofficial city on your hands.
SpaceX has a similar setup with its HQ, Starbase, which is now an incorporated city.
That’s essentially we have in Michigan for General Motors.
Why exactly does General Motors have its own private city?
The main factor influencing General Motors in its decision to build its own ‘city’ was privacy.
Located in the middle of Michigan, the Milford Proving Ground has served as a vehicle testing location for around a century.
Milford is in driving distance of other GM hubs like Flint, Detroit, and Lansing, so convenience is already on its side.
Within Milford, gas is free to allow General Motors to test its vehicles.
There’s no need for license plates either.
A California content creator, Uptin, paid a visit to Milford to see what he’d find.
And what greeted him upon arrival left him shocked.
This isn’t your conventional sort of city
Inside Milford there are long stretches of road that don’t look too dissimilar from highways.
With more than enough space to off-road, this ‘city’ has its own fire station and gas station.
“Engineers will drive more than 200mph over private tracks,” Uptin explainde.
“And because it’s a private city, it’s totally legal.”
While most cities are working hard to fix the potholes on their streets – Milford is creating them for the sake of testing vehicles.
In many ways, this isn’t your standard city.
But the most glaring difference is the fact that you can’t move here to become a resident.
Which will come as a resounding disappointment to many petrolheads around the world.
Especially those who feel the pinch every time they fill up at the gas station.
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
